QM Weekly Update for Jan 5, 2026
🏳️⚧️⚕️⚖️ On Monday, a federal judge gave the Trump administration 120 days to respond to a lawsuit filed by 19 states, including Michigan, against the administration for declaring that healthcare providers that offer gender-affirming care for youth can be excluded from Medicare and Medicaid funding.
More information:
“Judge sets deadline for Trump administration response to Michigan’s transgender care lawsuit”
Judge sets deadline for Trump administration response to Michigan's transgender care lawsuit
More than a dozen states, including Michigan, have sued the Trump administration over a federal declaration that would end funding for healthcare providers who offer gender-affirming care.
🏳️⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of four federal employees against the exclusion of coverage for gender-affirming care in federal employee health insurance programs.
More information:
“Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration’s ban on gender-affirming care”
Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration's ban on gender-affirming care | AP News
The Trump administration faces a legal complaint from government employees over a new policy eliminating coverage for gender-affirming care in federal health insurance programs.
🏳️⚧️��️ This past week, prominent trans lawyers and journalists summarized government attacks on trans people in 2025 and explained what they’re hoping for in the next year.
More information:
“The Case for Hope: Transgender Rights Going into 2026”
“In the Face of Anti-Trans Escalation, We Need More than Legal Strategies”
🏳️🌈✊��🎓⚖️ On Monday, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and attorneys general from 16 states came to a settlement agreement with the Trump administration, requiring the government to re-review frozen grants to universities without using anti-DEI standards.
More information:
“Trump administration agrees to drop anti-DEI criteria for stalled health research grants”
🏳️⚧️⚕️🏛️ On December 26, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched an investigation into Seattle Children’s Hospital for providing gender-affirming care for trans youth. If the hospital is found to have violated the federal government’s new anti-trans declaration, they could lose Medicaid and Medicare funding.
More information:
“RFK Jr’s HHS investigates Seattle Children’s Hospital over youth gender-affirming care”
RFK investigates Seattle hospital over care for trans youth | Advocate.com
If the department concludes the hospital violated RFK Jr.'s illegal policy, it could lose its Medicaid and Medicare funding.
“Seattle Children’s first target of RFK Jr.’s threat to end funds to hospitals treating trans youth”
