California Scrambles for Funding to Maintain Gender-Affirming Care for Minors Under Medi-Cal

San Diego, CA, August 30, 2026 — California is actively working to secure emergency funding and develop a dedicated state-level pathway to ensure continued access to gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-nonconforming minors enrolled in Medi-Cal. This initiative comes in response to a new federal regulation that will prohibit the use of federal Medicaid funds for these services for individuals under the age of 19. The state aims to prevent a disruption in care for an estimated 1,500 minors who rely on these services.

The federal rule is set to take effect on October 13th. This impending deadline has raised concerns among parents and advocacy groups who fear that the state may not be adequately prepared to establish the necessary funding and infrastructure before the federal funds are cut off. Without a state-backed alternative, some minors could face significant barriers to receiving medically necessary gender-affirming treatments.

Efforts are underway to identify and allocate emergency funding sources. Concurrently, state officials are exploring legislative and administrative options to create a state-funded program that can operate independently of federal Medicaid reimbursement for this specific population. The details of the proposed state-only pathway and the exact amount of emergency funding being sought have not been fully disclosed.

Advocates have emphasized the critical importance of uninterrupted access to gender-affirming care for the health and well-being of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth. The potential for a gap in services is a significant worry for families affected by the change in federal policy.

Story summarized from the original created by Kristen Hwang • CalMatters on timesofsandiego.com, see more information here.

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