A federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of a new Biden administration rule enhancing health care protections for LGBTQ individuals. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had expanded Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity as forms of sex discrimination. Fifteen Republican-led states sued, arguing the rule imposes gender ideology over medical reality and threatens federal funding.
Judge Louis Guirola Jr., appointed by President George W. Bush, sided with the states, citing potential compliance costs and loss of funding. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, leading the lawsuit, celebrated the decision as a rejection of the Biden administration’s “extreme version of gender ideology.”
HHS, referencing a 2020 Supreme Court decision, maintained that the rule aligns with protections against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson condemned the ruling, calling it “morally wrong” and asserting that LGBTQ individuals deserve access to necessary medical care.
The Biden administration’s rule is now paused pending further legal action.
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