Tenn. Hospital Faces Federal Civil Rights Probe Over Trans Records

Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, is facing a federal civil rights investigation regarding allegations it turned over private medical records of transgender patients to state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

John Howser, chief communications officer for the medical center, said Tuesday they were contacted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights regarding the pending investigation.

“We have been contacted by and are working with the Office of Civil Rights,” Howser told CNN. “We have no further comment since this is an ongoing investigation.”

Last month, two patients filed a lawsuit against the medical center, claiming it did not protect their personal health information by providing the records to Skrmetti, who is investigating the hospital after a doctor publicly admitted to manipulating billing codes to evade coverage limitations on gender-related treatment.

Skrmetti’s office said it has “not heard anything” about the civil rights investigation.

“Turning a disagreement about the law into a federal investigation would be plainly retaliatory and would reflect a dangerous politicization of federal law enforcement,” spokesperson Amy Wilhite told The Associated Press.

In October 2022, the medical center paused gender transition procedures under pressure from state lawmakers. In March, Tennessee GOP Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that prohibits health care providers from performing gender transition surgeries and administering hormones or puberty blockers to minors. On July 8, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a preliminary injunction on the law, which is now in effect.