Attorney General Bonta Challenges Rule Attempting to Block Federal Reimbursements for Providers of Gender-Affirming Care

September 2, 2026 Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and one governor in filing a lawsuit challenging a rule by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would prohibit federal reimbursement for gender-affirming care for adolescents in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta argues that the rule oversteps HHS’s legal authority, lacks or misuses evidence to justify its added restrictions, and violates the law and long lasting precedent by blocking reimbursements for medically necessary care. The rule will be effective on October 13, 2026, unless the court intervenes. “HHS has disregarded the law and its own policy precedent in another attempt to restrict transgender individuals’ access to crucial care,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We will not stand by as the Trump Administration oversteps its authority and twists the facts to justify its bad-faith agenda against transgender Americans. We will continue to fight to secure access to medically necessary care and protect transgender individuals’ abi