CMS Launches Oversight Initiative on Hospitals Performing Experimental Sex Trait Modification Procedures
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today sent a letter to select hospitals performing pediatric sex trait modification procedures outlining urgent concerns with both the quality standards adherence and profits related to these harmful procedures
“These are irreversible, high-risk procedures being conducted on vulnerable children, often at taxpayer expense,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Hospitals accepting federal funds are expected to meet rigorous quality standards and uphold the highest level of stewardship when it comes to public resources—we will not turn a blind eye to procedures that lack a solid foundation of evidence and may result in lifelong harm.”
CMS has previously noted the lack of reliable clinical evidence supporting the quality and safety of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex trait modification surgeries for minors. These procedures also raise serious questions about informed consent protocols, adverse outcomes, and financial incentives driving these interventions, many of which are reimbursed by federal health care programs.
The CMS letter focuses on:
- Detailed explanations of how informed consent is obtained for pediatric patients and whether parental involvement is mandatory;
- Any planned updates to clinical guidelines considering comprehensive review of scientific research;
- Documentation requirements for adverse outcomes, including cases involving regret or de-transition; and
- Provider financials, including billing codes utilized for sex trait modifications, facility and provider level revenue, facility and provider level profits, and projected revenue for these service lines.
Hospitals are expected to respond within 30 days.
To view the letter to hospitals, click here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hospital-oversight-letter-generic.pdf.
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