In a significant victory for transgender rights and patient privacy, Seattle Children’s Hospital has reached a settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had demanded the medical records of transgender patients from Texas who received gender-affirming care at the hospital.
The settlement, announced on April 22, 2024, ensures that the hospital will not have to turn over confidential patient information.
Texas AG Sought Records in Controversial Move
The legal battle began in December 2023, when Paxton’s office issued a civil investigative demand to Seattle Children’s Hospital, requesting medical records for any patients with a Texas address who had received gender-affirming care at the hospital since 2018.
The move was part of a broader effort by conservative politicians in Texas to restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors.
Seattle Children’s Hospital pushed back against the demand, arguing that it violated patient privacy protections under HIPAA, the federal health privacy law. The hospital filed a lawsuit against Paxton in January 2024, seeking to block the records request.
Settlement Protects Patient Privacy
Under the terms of the settlement, Seattle Children’s Hospital will not be required to provide any patient records to the Texas Attorney General’s office.
In exchange, the hospital has agreed to provide general information about its policies and practices related to gender-affirming care, but without identifying any specific patients.
We are pleased with this outcome, which protects the privacy and dignity of our transgender patients and their families, said Dr. Alysha Thompson, Medical Director of the Gender Clinic at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Every patient deserves access to compassionate, evidence-based healthcare without fear of discrimination or harassment.
The settlement also prohibits the Texas Attorney General’s office from seeking similar records requests from Seattle Children’s Hospital in the future without first obtaining a valid court order or subpoena.
Ongoing Battle Over Transgender Healthcare
The resolution of the Seattle Children’s Hospital lawsuit comes amidst a larger national debate over access to gender-affirming care for transgender individuals, particularly minors. In recent years, several states have passed laws restricting or banning such care outright.
However, major medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society, have affirmed that gender-affirming care is safe, effective, and medically necessary for many transgender youths.
Denying access to such care can lead to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among transgender individuals.
“Decisions about medical care for transgender youth should be made between patients, their families, and their healthcare providers – not politicians,”
Said Jude Patton, Executive Director of TAVA, the Transgender American Veterans Association, which has been advocating for expanded access to gender-affirming care.
We will continue to fight against any attempts to restrict or criminalize this essential care.
As the battle over transgender rights continues to play out in courtrooms and statehouses across the country, advocates say the Seattle Children’s Hospital settlement sends an important message about the importance of patient privacy and the right to access healthcare free from discrimination.
With several other lawsuits challenging restrictions on gender-affirming care still pending, the outcome of those cases could have far-reaching implications for the health and well-being of transgender Americans.
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