Appeals court shuts down Texas doctors suing Biden admin over transgender policy
A federal appeals court has made a ruling against Texas doctors who attempted to sue President Biden’s administration over its transgender policies. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, consisting of three judges, unanimously decided that the doctors lacked standing to sue, without delving into the merits of the case. The court determined that the doctors had not violated the policy and were not under any threat of enforcement.
President Biden’s Health and Human Services Department introduced a rule change in 2021, interpreting a section of the Affordable Care Act to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals in healthcare. The Texas doctors argued that this interpretation extended beyond the law’s original text.
The doctors contended that the policy could compel them to administer treatments that they do not support, such as providing prostate cancer treatment to a transgender woman based on her biological sex.
This decision follows a recent Supreme Court hearing on transgender policies, specifically regarding whether state bans on transgender surgeries for minors are constitutional. Conservative justices expressed reluctance to overturn the Tennessee law in question during the oral arguments. Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh emphasized that state legislatures, rather than the courts, should regulate medical procedures.
Justice Samuel Alito referred to medical studies highlighting the adverse effects of gender transition treatments on adolescents. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for over 20 states with similar laws.
Represented by the Biden administration and the ACLU, petitioners challenged the Tennessee law on behalf of the parents of three transgender adolescents and a Memphis-based doctor.
The Supreme Court deliberated on the level of scrutiny required to assess the constitutionality of state bans on transgender medical treatment for minors. The focus was on whether these laws constitute discrimination based on sex or against a “quasi-suspect class,” necessitating heightened scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
This report was a collaboration between Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch and Reuters. Anders Hagstrom, a reporter with Fox News Digital specializing in national politics and breaking news, contributed to this article. For more updates, follow Anders on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
