President Trump’s Executive Order issued on January 28, 2025 entitled Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation outlined guidelines and restrictions on gender affirming care for children including financial implications. It did in no way prohibit such care for those of majority age – adults. The order stated:
“… it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called “transition” of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
The definition used as to who is considered to be a child is anyone under the age of 19 years old.
This created confusion for providers of gender affirming care, for facilities where such care was administered and for individuals who are seeking to have their surgery done when they turn 18 years old or presently are 18 years old.
Did this Executive Order mean that the legal age for such care is 19 and if it were performed on patients 18 years of age, there would be severe financial consequences?
In the recent post entitled Update on the Presidential Executive Order on Gender Affirming Care for Children, I indicated that until there was further clarification and legal assessment, top surgery on 18 year olds was not allowed.
Well, there is great news – at least here for patients seeking care in Scottsdale (I don’t know present policies at facilities elsewhere). It has been determined that the Executive Order absolutely does not prohibit surgery on 18 year olds and that there are no financial consequences for facilities allowing such procedures to be performed.
So, if you are 18 years old and want to pursue top surgery or are waiting until you turn 18 in order to have the procedure done, you are in luck!
Congratulations!
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
