Oregon — A federal judge has indicated he will rule in favor of Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a multi-state coalition, blocking a federal effort to pressure healthcare providers to stop treating youth with gender dysphoria.
U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai said in court that he intends to grant the states’ motion for summary judgment, a decision that would halt enforcement of a federal directive tied to Medicare and Medicaid funding. A written order is expected to follow.
The case centers on a declaration issued in December by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which labeled certain ‘gender-affirming’ treatments as “unsafe and ineffective” and warned that providers offering such care could be excluded from federal healthcare programs.
According to the court’s oral ruling, Kasubhai found that the administration exceeded its statutory authority and did not follow required federal rulemaking procedures. He indicated the declaration would be set aside.
The lawsuit was led by Washington and Oregon, along with attorneys general from 19 other states and the District of Columbia. The coalition argued that the federal government unlawfully attempted to coerce hospitals and clinics by threatening to cut off critical funding streams.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown called the decision a major legal victory, stating that the court affirmed the rights of youth and families to access lawful medical care and rejected what he described as an unlawful federal overreach.
Rayfield, representing Oregon, has similarly emphasized that healthcare decisions should remain between patients, families, and medical providers, rather than being dictated through federal funding threats.
A summary judgment allows a court to resolve a case without a full trial when there are no material facts in dispute. If finalized, the ruling would preserve access to ‘gender-affirming care’ for youth in the states that challenged the policy and prevent federal agencies from withholding Medicare and Medicaid funds from providers offering such care.
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