Trump Administration Accused of Unlawfully Intimidating Healthcare Providers

The Trump administration has come under fire from a group of 17 Democratic officials who have accused it of unlawfully intimidating healthcare providers into stopping gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The complaint was filed in a lawsuit following a month in which at least eight major hospitals and hospital systems announced they were stopping or restricting the care. The administration's policies have sparked urgent scrambles for treatment among families with transgender children.

The Democratic officials, including attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia, plus the governor of Pennsylvania, argue that the Trump administration's policies are an attempt to impose a nationwide ban on the treatment for people under 19. However, there is no federal statute that bans providing the care to minors. The medical centers have responded to political and legal pressure, with at least seven other major hospitals and health systems announcing similar decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• The Trump administration has accused of unlawfully intimidating healthcare providers into stopping gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
• At least eight major hospitals and hospital systems have announced they are stopping or restricting the care, citing political and legal pressure.
• The Democratic officials argue that the Trump administration's policies are an attempt to impose a nationwide ban on treatment for people under 19.
• No federal statute bans providing gender-affirming care to minors, making the administration's actions unlawful.
• 28 states with Republican-controlled legislatures have adopted policies to ban or restrict gender-affirming care for minors since 2021.
• The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states have a right to enforce those laws.
• Families with transgender children are facing urgent scrambles for treatment as medical centers respond to political and legal pressure.
• The Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the biggest public provider of gender-affirming care, closed in July.
• Kaiser Permanente will pause gender-affirming surgeries for those under 19 but continue hormone therapy.
• The American Medical Association opposes policies that restrict access to gender-affirming health care.

Statistics:

• Since 2021, 28 states with Republican-controlled legislatures have adopted policies to ban or restrict gender-affirming care for minors.
• At least eight major hospitals and hospital systems have announced they are stopping or restricting the care.
• 15 states and the District of Columbia have joined the lawsuit against the Trump administration.
• The number of trans boys who have started hormone therapy has increased over 20% in the past five years.
• The Trump administration has sent more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics involved in gender-affirming care for youth.

Sources:

• [New York Attorney General Letitia James statement, July 2022]
• [AP-NORC poll, July 2022]
• [American Medical Association statement, June 2022]
• [U.S. Supreme Court ruling, June 2022]
• [Kaiser Permanente announcement, July 2022]