Vanderbilt University Medical Center has announced it will stop offering gender-affirming plastic surgeries for adults; the hospital confirmed this week.
The decision affects surgical procedures such as chest reconstruction and other gender-affirming plastic operations for adults 19 and older. Vanderbilt Health said the change is due to “operational limitations and lack of surgical coverage,” according to local reporting.
In its statement, the medical center clarified that nonsurgical gender-affirming care for adults will continue. The hospital also noted that it does not provide gender-affirming care for people younger than 19. Representatives said patients with upcoming procedures are being contacted about the change.
The move comes amid ongoing political and legal debate over transgender health care in Tennessee. While gender-affirming procedures remain legal for adults, lawmakers are considering legislation that would prohibit TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program, from covering gender-affirming surgeries for adults.
Tennessee already bans gender-affirming medical care for minors under 18, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers. That law remains in effect following court challenges.
Vanderbilt previously stopped performing gender-affirming surgeries for minors after the state’s ban was enacted. Local reporting has also noted that at least one surgeon who performed adult gender-affirming procedures is no longer with the institution.
The hospital did not indicate whether the halt on adult surgeries is temporary or permanent. It also did not specify whether patients will be referred to other providers in Tennessee or out of state.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is one of the largest health care providers in Middle Tennessee and operates the region’s only Level 1 trauma center. For many transgender adults in the area, it has been a primary provider for surgical gender-affirming care.
In its public comments, Vanderbilt framed the decision as an operational matter rather than a broader policy change regarding transgender health services. Non-surgical care, including hormone therapy and related services, remains available to adults through Vanderbilt Health.
The development has drawn attention from advocacy groups and lawmakers on both sides of the debate over transgender medical care. Supporters of access to gender-affirming treatment say the loss of a major surgical provider could increase travel distances, costs, and wait times for patients. Critics of gender-affirming procedures have pointed to legislative efforts to restrict public funding and oversight of such treatments.
For now, adult patients seeking surgical gender-affirming care in Middle Tennessee will need to explore other providers as Vanderbilt adjusts its service offerings.
