Six major hospital systems reach DOJ agreements ending certain gender-transition procedures for minors
Caroline MolloyAt least six major hospital systems have reached agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice that include ending specified gender-transition drugs or procedures for minors, according to Justice Department announcements.
On Sept. 18, the DOJ announced agreements with NYU Langone Hospitals and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Under the agreements described by the department, the systems will stop providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender-transition surgeries to minors. NYU agreed to pay $8.5 million and UPMC $950,000 to resolve federal investigations.
The DOJ said those agreements followed earlier resolutions involving Mount Sinai Health System, Texas Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
The department said its investigations concern possible violations of federal health-care and drug laws, including allegations involving billing and diagnosis codes. NYU and UPMC denied wrongdoing as part of their settlements and said the agreements resolved the investigations while protecting confidential patient and provider information.
The DOJ said investigations involving other providers remain ongoing. The settlements resolve the identified investigations; they are not court findings that every allegation made by the government was proven.
