April 9, 2026
Children’s Minnesota has resumed all services in its Gender Health program that had been temporarily paused on February 27.
"Children’s Minnesota is committed to providing evidence-based, high-quality and essential health care to all kids, including our transgender and gender diverse patients," the hospital said in a statement. "Our Gender Health program partners with parents and our communities to improve kids’ health now and for the future."
Children's had suspended its program in late February, under pressure from the Trump Administration, which announced late last year that it would cut Medicare and Medicaid funding to hospitals and clinics that provided gender-affirming care to minors.
In March, a federal judge in Oregon blocked the U.S. Health and Human Services from carrying out the cuts.
In 2024, the MMA adopted the following policy on gender-affirming care:
“Consistent with the prevailing evidence-based standards of care, the MMA recognizes that minors can be diagnosed with gender dysphoria/incongruence and that, under specific clinical guidelines, it is appropriate for these minors to receive certain types of gender-affirming healthcare.
“The MMA affirms that healthcare professionals should encourage and facilitate increased familial understanding and support of minors’ gender identities and gender-affirming healthcare needs unless familial involvement is harmful to the minor or not feasible.
“The MMA understands that, in some cases, parents and guardians will remain steadfast in their disapproval of their child’s gender identity and gender-affirming healthcare needs. The MMA urges professionals who provide gender-affirming healthcare to exercise caution with respect to applicable laws on minor consent. To facilitate this caution, and to empower physicians to care for minor patients to the maximum legal extent, the MMA will educate its members on minor consent laws as it relates to gender-affirming healthcare.” The policy was reaffirmed by MMA’s Board of Trustees in 2026.
The MMA will continue to inform its members about threats to gender-affirming care. For more information contact Adrian Uphoff, manager of health policy and regulatory affairs.
April 9, 2026
An amended piece of legislation that would exempt buprenorphine from prior authorization (PA) was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on April 9.
April 9, 2026
On April 9, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard a bill that would require coverage for psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) services under Medical Assistance.
April 9, 2026
On April 9, the House Taxes Committee heard legislation focused on supporting the financial stability and ongoing operations of Hennepin Healthcare.