Seven pediatric bioethicists criticize a proposed ban on federal Medicaid funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to minors.[3] According to bioethicists, this proposal would lead to a forced choice for children's hospitals: either they would lose substantial financial resources and jeopardize care for all patients, or they would deny care to a vulnerable population with no alternatives.[3] Most children's hospitals depend on Medicaid funding, with Medicaid patients making up as much as 50 percent of their patient population.[3] Bioethicists point out that the HHS report claims there is no evidence for the benefits of gender-affirming care, while ignoring numerous studies showing consistent short- and medium-term benefits.[3] They also criticize the report as misapplying basic principles of pediatric bioethics and not paying enough attention to serious harms resulting from denial of care, such as suicidal thoughts and permanent physical changes.[3] Bioethicists emphasize that gender-affirming care involves shared decision-making between the child, parent, and clinician, not unilateral decisions by the clinician.[3]