HHS Secretary Faces Accusations of Withholding Transgender Surgery Funding
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has come under fire from Catholic and other conservative organizations for allegedly threatening to withhold federal funding from hospitals that refuse to perform transgender surgeries on religious grounds.
During a recent House hearing, Rep. Mary Miller, R-N.Y., confronted Becerra, demanding assurances that he would not block funding for healthcare providers who decline to offer gender-affirming care that violates their religious beliefs.
Becerra maintained that doctors have the right to object to providing certain services based on religious objections, but they would not receive federal funding for those services. However, he emphasized that healthcare facilities that violate the law and fail to provide required services could lose funding.
Catholic Groups Express Outrage
CatholicVote President Brian Burch accused Becerra of targeting Catholics and threatening the care of millions of Americans. Solidarity HealthShare President Chris Faddis expressed concerns that the recent HHS rule violates religious freedom and forces faith-based healthcare systems to provide transgender surgeries against their medical judgment.
Conservative Organizations Condemn Rule
Conservative organizations, including the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries and the American Family Association, have denounced the HHS rule. They argue that it forces hospitals to provide transgender surgeries or lose funding for essential services such as Medicaid and Medicare.
HHS has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The controversy highlights the ongoing debate over the intersection of religious freedom, healthcare, and the rights of transgender individuals.
