Texas Children's To End Youth Gender Care, Pay $10M In State Settlement
Texas Children's Hospital agreed Friday, May 15, 2026, to end gender-affirming care for minors in a settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office and will pay $10 million.[1]
Under the deal the hospital must stop offering gender-affirming treatment to children and will terminate five physicians who provided that care.[1] The settlement requires Texas Children's to set up a detransition clinic that will provide free services to all patients for the first five years, though officials have not yet detailed the services.[1] The Justice Department joined the settlement, and acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ would use "all available tools" to end gender-affirming care for children.[1] Texas Children's said its internal reviews found the hospital complied with state law but called the settlement a difficult decision meant to conserve resources amid a campaign of "mistruths and mischaracterizations." MS NOW
Paxton's office had accused the hospital of improper Medicaid billing related to its gender-affirming program, an allegation tied to the state's action and the settlement's $10 million payment.[1] The combined state and federal pressure pushed the Houston hospital to settle rather than continue protracted litigation, hospital officials said.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, May 15, 2026, Texas Children’s Hospital reached a settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office over its gender-affirming care program for minors.
- Under the deal, the hospital will cease gender-affirming care for minors, terminate five physicians who provided such care, and pay the state $10 million related to alleged improper Medicaid billing.
- The hospital must establish a detransition clinic that will provide free services to all patients for the first five years after opening, though specific services have not yet been detailed.
- The Justice Department joined the settlement; acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed DOJ would use all available tools to end gender-affirming care for children.
- Texas Children’s said its reviews found it complied with state law but described the settlement as a difficult decision meant to conserve resources amid what it called a campaign of “mistruths and mischaracterizations.”
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