Attorney General Dan Rayfield is leading a coalition including 18 states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit to challenge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as reported by the Oregon Department of Justice. The legal action disputes the HHS's threat to deny Medicare and Medicaid funds to providers of gender-affirming care for transgender adolescents, a move deemed by the coalition as both unlawful and intimidating.
According to the lawsuit details, an HHS document termed a "declaration" issued on December 18 asserts that certain gender-affirming care options are "unsafe and ineffective." In a bold statement by Attorney General Rayfield, "Healthcare decisions belong with families and their healthcare providers, not the government." On behalf of the state of Oregon, the lawsuit is intended to prevent this declaration from obstructing access to essential medical treatment. With the proposed rules not yet in effect and open for public comment until February 17, 2026, the coalition argues that HHS is side-stepping the due legal process that mandates public notification and an opportunity to comment before implementing significant policy shifts.
The lawsuit accuses HHS of overstepping its bounds, claiming without basis the right to disqualify health care providers from federal programs due to the care they offer. For the affected families and individuals, this creates a layer of fear over the future availability of current treatments. Furthermore, Rayfield and other state attorneys general argue that such actions would not just leave a void for those seeking gender-affirming care but could also cripple the broader Medicaid system, a safety net upon which countless citizens rely. As the suit states, cutting off providers who supply this care would lead to exacerbated shortages in athe vailability and quality of health services.
It is within the fabric of Oregon's legislative framework to stand against such federal impositions after the passing of HB 2002 in 2023, which statutorily defends the necessity and coverage of gender-affirming treatments. Aligning with the spirit of legal protection, the coalition, including the attorneys general of states like California and New York, demands that the court deem the HHS's declaration unlawful and thereby block its enactment. Their collective voice maintains that medicine should not be forced into an unjust binary, wherein practitioners must balance commitment to their patients against the threat to their own sustenance.
Highlighting the united front on this issue, the formation of this coalition, accompanied by the Pennsylvania Governor, projects a measure of resistance against a federal directive that they view as invasive and contrary to the rights of states to govern health care practices. In closing, Attorney General Rayfield's words echo as a central tenet of this dispute: "Oregon remains a sanctuary for families seeking gender-affirming care, and the state will defend these rights against any federal actions that threaten access."
