Nineteen states file lawsuit against HHS over youth healthcare cuts.
On Tuesday, 19 states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit in Eugene, Oregon, against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the inspector general, challenging a declaration issued the previous Thursday that labels puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries for transgender youth as unsafe and ineffective. The plaintiffs seek an immediate injunction to block the declaration’s enforcement.
The declaration warns physicians that offering such care could jeopardize Medicare and Medicaid participation. It follows proposals that would cut payment for gender‑affirming services and remove Medicaid coverage. The rules are not yet finalized and must undergo formal rulemaking.
The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, claims the declaration was issued without the public notice and comment, violating federal law. It also asserts that the document compels providers to abandon medically indicated treatment.
The complaint is joined by attorneys general from 17 Democratic‑controlled states, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania’s governor, reflecting a broader clash over transgender‑health‑care restrictions. The action represents heightened legal confrontation over federal restrictions on gender‑affirming care for minors.
Major medical associations, including the American Medical Association, oppose the underlying report and support gender‑affirming care for youth. HHS officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.