Overview
- Filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene, the suit is led by New York Attorney General Letitia James with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and names HHS, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Inspector General Thomas March Bell as defendants.
- The complaint says the declaration exceeds HHS authority, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and Medicare/Medicaid statutes, and attempts to impose national medical standards.
- HHS’s Dec. 18 declaration deems puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries for minors unsafe and ineffective, citing an internal peer‑reviewed report that favors behavioral therapy.
- Separate HHS proposals would cut Medicare and Medicaid participation for hospitals that provide such care to minors and bar Medicaid and CHIP coverage, though these rules are not final and are in a public comment period.
- Major medical organizations continue to reject HHS’s conclusions, and several providers have already scaled back youth services, raising concerns about access and continuity of care.