A coalition of LGBTQ groups and clinics filed a lawsuit June 22 to block an HHS rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients, according to NPR.
HHS issued the final rule June 12, which revises nondiscrimination protections laid out in Section 1557 of the ACA. The section of the law established that it is illegal for healthcare organizations to discriminate on the basis of "race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability."
The final rule issued June 12 removes provisions in the 2016 rule that defined sex discrimination to include discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The new rule is set to take effect in mid-August.
Bamby Salcedo, president and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, argued that the new rule will "hurt marginalized communities who already experience barriers to care."
The American Hospital Association also has urged HHS not to finalize the changes.
"Narrowing the current regulation's protections against discrimination based on sex, including gender identity, sexual orientation and sex stereotypes, could have an adverse impact on access to care and the health of individuals," the AHA said when the rule was announced June 12.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
10 latest healthcare industry lawsuits
UPMC hacking suspect charged in theft of 65,000 employees' data
Nurses accuse Georgia hospital of manipulating COVID-19 test results