When the U.S. Department of Justice asked for information from doctors and clinics that provided gender-affirming care to young transgender patients, authorities were more than just asking for policy. They also requested information about the individual patients.
In a statement on July 9, Attorney General Pam Bondy announced that the department has sent over 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics providing care. The request represents the promotion of President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to stop treatment for transgender youth, even in states where it is legal.
Bondi said the request was part of an investigation into “healthcare fraud, false statements, and more.” No fees have been announced so far, but the probes have a calm impact on the availability of care.
Details of the request were not made public until the court filed it in another case this week.
Advocates say requests are invasive and unnecessary.
“It turns physician and patient confidentiality into government surveillance,” said Jennifer Levy, a delighted senior director of transgender and queer rights.
At least one request asks for the patient’s name and social security number
The subpoena sent to the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital on June 11 were included in Monday’s legal applications on assignments from Minnesota, Oregon and Washington for an administration’s attempt to ban treatment for patients under the age of 19.
The 18-page document was requested to provide a vast list of documents.
Among them are documents to identify “name, date of birth, Social Security number, address, parent/guardian information”: patients prescribed adolescent blocker or hormone therapy.
The request also covered personnel files for different categories of hospital employees, information on patient intake procedures, and insurance claims that the hospital used to affirm gender.
The date listed was July 9th.
It is not clear whether the subpoena sent to other providers are identical.
Neither the hospital nor the judge responded to requests for comment Thursday.
Gender-affirming care has emerged as part of the political and legal battles
Gender maintenance care It includes a variety of medical and mental health services to support a person’s gender identity, such as when they differ from the gender assigned at birth. It covers counseling, drug therapy to block puberty, and hormone therapy to cause physical changes, and surgeries to convert the breast and genitals, which are rare for minors.
Most major healthcare groups say that access to treatment is important for people with gender discomfort and consider gender to be present along the spectrum.
There is a wide, if not universal, medical consensus, but the political situation is controversial.
Since 2021, at least 27 states have adopted laws that restrict or prohibit care for minors. US Supreme Court Judgment In June, we confirmed our right to develop such policies, at least under certain conditions.
Trump has signed one executive order Define sex as a man or woman only – and like constant – and seeking others End federal funds Care for patients under the age of 19. He too Bar Transgender military members And I’ll keep it Transgender athlete From a specific sports competition.
And the administration released the document Ask the criteria for treatment We propose that we rely solely on talk therapy, not medical interventions, for transgender youth.
The investigation is one of the reasons why some clinics stopped care
At least eight major hospitals and hospital systems announced in July that they are Stop or limit gender-affirming carethough they are in states that are not banned.
Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia said that it was Penmedicine, the site where it referred patients for surgery, would no longer run patients under the age of 19.
A group of democratic state officials across the country are suing the Trump administration, claiming that health care providers are intimidating to suspend care.
Levi from Glad Law said the investigation was just one of many factors that led providers to change their policies.
“It’s cold,” she said.
