LAS VEGAS, Nev. (August 17, 2026) – Silver State Equality, Nevada’s statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy nonprofit, released the following statement from Silver State Equality State Director André C. Wade after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule ending federal Medicaid funding for both medically necessary care for transgender youth under 18 and federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for youth under 19. The rule is scheduled to take effect October 13, 2026:
“The Trump administration finalized a cruel and discriminatory rule that blocks federal Medicaid and CHIP payments to providers for medically necessary healthcare for transgender young people, putting their access to care at risk. This is a politically motivated attack that inserts politicians into decisions that should be between parents, patients and their doctors. The rule allows the same medications and treatments to remain federally funded when prescribed for other medical purposes but denies them when used to provide the same care to transgender patients. That double standard exposes this policy for what it is: discrimination dressed up as healthcare policy. Importantly, this rule does not make transition-related care illegal in Nevada. Transgender healthcare remains legal, medically necessary and protected under Nevada law. The rule does not prohibit these services from being covered with state-only Medicaid funds, private insurance, or other sources of funding. Healthcare decisions should be made by patients, their families and their doctors – not politicians or the government. Silver State Equality will continue to fight any attempt to limit or restrict healthcare access for transgender youth and their families. Together with our state and national partners, we will continue to challenge this discriminatory policy and hold providers accountable under Nevada’s nondiscrimination laws. With Nevada’s constitutional protections and state laws facing an evolving federal landscape, this November’s election is critical to ensuring those protections remain intact and meaningful. Electing pro-equality candidates will help safeguard the rights and healthcare of LGBTQ+ Nevadans and ensure Nevada continues moving forward – not backwards – in protecting equality for all. To transgender young people and their families: your healthcare remains legal and protected in Nevada. You are not alone, and we will never stop fighting for you.”
“The Trump administration finalized a cruel and discriminatory rule that blocks federal Medicaid and CHIP payments to providers for medically necessary healthcare for transgender young people, putting their access to care at risk. This is a politically motivated attack that inserts politicians into decisions that should be between parents, patients and their doctors.
The rule allows the same medications and treatments to remain federally funded when prescribed for other medical purposes but denies them when used to provide the same care to transgender patients. That double standard exposes this policy for what it is: discrimination dressed up as healthcare policy.
Importantly, this rule does not make transition-related care illegal in Nevada. Transgender healthcare remains legal, medically necessary and protected under Nevada law. The rule does not prohibit these services from being covered with state-only Medicaid funds, private insurance, or other sources of funding.
Healthcare decisions should be made by patients, their families and their doctors – not politicians or the government. Silver State Equality will continue to fight any attempt to limit or restrict healthcare access for transgender youth and their families. Together with our state and national partners, we will continue to challenge this discriminatory policy and hold providers accountable under Nevada’s nondiscrimination laws.
With Nevada’s constitutional protections and state laws facing an evolving federal landscape, this November’s election is critical to ensuring those protections remain intact and meaningful. Electing pro-equality candidates will help safeguard the rights and healthcare of LGBTQ+ Nevadans and ensure Nevada continues moving forward – not backwards – in protecting equality for all.
To transgender young people and their families: your healthcare remains legal and protected in Nevada. You are not alone, and we will never stop fighting for you.”
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As Nevada’s statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, Silver State Equality brings the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in Nevada and throughout the U.S. Silver State Equality strives to create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. Silver State Equality is a Nevada-based program affiliated with and supported by Equality California and Equality California Institute, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. More information at SilverStateEquality.org
