HARRISBURG – A new report reveals over $20 million in PA taxpayer dollars have been used to pay for sex reassignment and transition-related services and drugs on minors since 2015. PA Family Institute filed a Right-To-Know request with the PA Department of Human Services which reveals that, from January 1, 2015 to July 28, 2023, more than $19.8 million in tax dollars have been spent on puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, and gender-related surgeries for children 18-years-old and younger. To date, estimates would put the total well over $20 million in taxpayer funding. PA Family Institute President Michael Geer says “This shocking report reveals PA taxpayers are being forced to fund harmful drugs and surgeries on children, sending millions of dollars every year to carry out detrimental and irreversible procedures upon minors.” At least three PA children’s hospitals are currently performing “gender affirmation” services, including the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. In 2015, doctors from PA hospitals lobbied to expand state coverage of the surgeries and services, and have since lobbied against any state prohibition of taxpayer dollars being used for these gender related procedures through the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP. Geer added, “This is state-sponsored child mutilation that taxpayers are being forced to fund. Not one penny of funding should be used to advance this type of harmful activity.”
