Subject: Chemical & Surgical Sex-Trait Modification Services for Plan Year 2026 Proposals

In a letter, the Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) informed its health insurance providers that the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program and the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program should no longer cover surgical or medical care related to gender transition services. It clarified that the same treatments (i.e., hormones) could be used to treat other conditions such as cancer or infertility, but could not be used in relationship to transgender medical care. The letter specified that mental health care should continue and must be permitted to include faith-based providers. The letter was signed by D. Shane Stevens, as the Associate Director of Healthcare and Insurance for OPM's Personnel Healthcare and Insurance Division.