Hospitals reach DOJ deals to end gender-affirming care for minors

Two major hospital systems, NYU Langone Health and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, have reached settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice to end gender-affirming care for minors. Under the terms of the agreements, NYU Langone will pay $8.5 million, while the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will pay $950,000.

The settlements follow a Department of Justice investigation into whether such care providers were engaging in “fraudulent billing practices” to obtain payments from federal and private insurers. While the hospitals did not admit to any wrongdoing, NYU Langone stated the resolution was intended to avoid prolonged litigation and to circumvent a subpoena for sensitive medical records regarding doctors and patients involved in the program.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Department of Justice is “fighting to protect our nation’s children” by reaching these agreements. These deals follow similar settlements reached by providers in states including Texas, Ohio, and Connecticut, as well as Mount Sinai Health System in New York.