Mount Sinai Ended Youth Gender-Affirming Care

The hospital system settled with the Department of Justice to avoid producing confidential patient records.

Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in LGBTQand

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of an urban hospital facade in navy and cream, evoking institutional medical policy. — Mount Sinai Hospital has discontinued youth gender-affirming care services to resolve a federal investigation and protect confidential patient medical records. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Mount Sinai Hospital has agreed to cease providing puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy to patients under 18 following a federal investigation. The settlement was reached to avoid complying with a Department of Justice grand jury subpoena requesting sensitive medical records.

Why it matters

The move aims to protect the privacy of patient records by resolving a legal dispute where federal authorities threatened the loss of hospital funding. This decision marks a significant shift in access to gender-affirming care within the New York City medical community.

Mount Sinai handles approximately 6 million outpatient visits annually. The hospital will now impose an 18-year age cutoff for gender-affirming treatments.

The players

Mount Sinai

This is a large hospital system in New York City that manages millions of patient encounters annually.

Department of Justice

This federal agency is responsible for enforcing laws and issuing subpoenas to private health institutions.

Zohran Mamdani

As Mayor, he announced a $15 million investment aimed at supporting trans care within the city.

Letitia James

She serves as the New York Attorney General and has previously intervened to maintain gender-affirming care access at other local health providers.

Donald Trump

He is the current President of the United States.

The details

In response to a subpoena issued in May 2026, Mount Sinai chose to discontinue specific youth gender-affirming services rather than provide the requested confidential files. The agreement includes a $2 million commitment to fund a detransition clinic.

January 2025: Donald Trump's administration began attacking state-level trans protections.
February 2026: NYU Langone Health discontinued its youth trans care program.
March 2026: Attorney General Letitia James ordered Langone Health to resume its care program.
September 2026: Mount Sinai reached a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice.

Culture Shift

The use of the Department of Justice grand jury subpoena power to compel medical record production remains a source of tension between federal authorities and hospital networks. This settlement follows a pattern of hospitals altering clinical service offerings in direct response to the leverage created by federal investigations.

Patients under 18 currently seeking gender-affirming care through Mount Sinai will face a loss of services as the hospital implements the new age restrictions. Residents should monitor local clinic availability, as the city has simultaneously pledged a $15 million investment into alternative trans care resources.

The takeaway

Healthcare providers are increasingly adjusting their administrative and clinical policies to navigate intensifying federal oversight regarding gender-affirming treatments. Families affected by these shifts may need to seek alternative providers or engage with city-funded support programs.