Kaiser Permanente to End Gender-Affirming Surgeries for Patients Under 19 Nationwide

Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare providers, will stop offering gender-affirming surgeries for patients under the age of 19 effective August 29, 2025. The decision comes amid intensifying legal and political pressures on providers of gender-affirming care, particularly for minors, and follows similar moves by other major healthcare institutions in the United States .

Kaiser Permanente’s policy shift follows increased scrutiny and legal threats facing healthcare systems that provide gender-affirming treatments to transgender youth. In recent months, a wave of new state and federal regulations has targeted gender-affirming medical care for minors, leading to lawsuits and heightened risk for providers. While the organization has not cited a single specific lawsuit, it acknowledged that the decision was influenced by “an evolving legal landscape” and a need to ensure compliance with existing and pending laws .

This move mirrors actions by other prominent health systems, including Stanford Medicine and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, both of which recently announced similar pauses or restrictions on gender-affirming surgical procedures for minors .

The policy will apply across all Kaiser Permanente locations nationwide, impacting patients and families in multiple states .

For transgender youth and their families, the announcement has caused confusion, concern, and in some cases, fear about the future of their care. Some parents, like Calder Storm, had turned to Kaiser Permanente after other providers in their region stopped offering surgical care, only to learn that their options were shrinking rapidly .

While Kaiser Permanente has stated it will continue to provide other forms of gender-affirming care for minors—including hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and mental health support—the halt in surgical care removes a critical option for many transgender patients seeking a complete transition as part of their affirmed gender identity .

Advocates argue that gender-affirming surgeries, while not sought by all transgender youth, are considered medically necessary by major medical organizations in cases where they are prescribed, and that limiting access can have serious mental health consequences. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association have previously condemned efforts to restrict gender-affirming care for minors, citing evidence that such interventions, when clinically indicated and provided in accordance with established guidelines, improve quality of life and reduce suicide risk among transgender youth .

The decision has been met with vocal criticism from healthcare professionals and LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations. The California Nurses Association, for example, described Kaiser Permanente’s policy change as “giving in to government overreach,” warning that it could set a precedent for further rollbacks of LGBTQ+ health protections .

LGBTQ+ rights groups have expressed alarm that the growing patchwork of restrictions is making it increasingly difficult for transgender youth to access comprehensive, evidence-based care. “Every time a major provider withdraws this service, it endangers the well-being of transgender young people and signals to others that their rights and health are up for debate,” said a spokesperson for the National Center for Transgender Equality in response to the trend .

Kaiser Permanente’s move comes as part of a broader national debate over the rights of transgender youth and the responsibilities of healthcare providers. The past year has seen a sharp increase in legislative action targeting gender-affirming healthcare for minors, with several states enacting bans or restrictions and federal agencies issuing new policy guidance .

While some advocates hope that ongoing legal challenges will restore access to care, others fear that the chilling effect on providers may persist. For now, transgender youth and their families are being forced to navigate an increasingly uncertain and fragmented healthcare environment.

Kaiser Permanente has reiterated its commitment to the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ patients and stated it will work to support affected families through the transition, but for many, the loss of surgical options represents a significant setback in the fight for inclusive and comprehensive healthcare .