Planned Parenthood Condemns Attorney General’s Request to Access HIPAA-Protected Medical Records of Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Youth
Contact: Nick Dunne, [email protected]
For Immediate Release: May 10, 2024
St. Louis — Today, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region & Southwest Missouri (PPSLR) filed a brief opposing Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s motion to obtain the private medical records of trans youth.
Bailey has continually abused and overstepped his authority, using the courts system to politicize gender-affirming health care for transgender and non-binary youth. In his latest motion in ongoing litigation with PPSLR, Bailey has asked the court to grant him access to the personal health care information of youth who have received gender-affirming care, despite already being denied access under HIPAA privacy rules. Planned Parenthood will continue to do everything possible to ensure the privacy of patient records.
Statement from Richard Muniz, interim President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri:
“We’re forcefully opposing the Attorney General’s motion for the court to reconsider its earlier ruling ensuring protections for patient records. The Attorney General is finally saying the quiet part out loud: he is coming for the private medical records of trans youth who received life-affirming, life-saving health care at Planned Parenthood. This should sound the alarm for health care providers and patients across our state. Andrew Bailey has made clear his so-called investigation is not about enforcing the laws, but to target and demonize transgender and non-binary patients and the providers who care for them — all in service of his political agenda. This is harassment and bullying — and we will not stand for it.
“Planned Parenthood stands firmly against this latest attempt to invade and exploit patients’ privacy. Make no mistake: we will continue to do all we can to protect our patients’ health care and rights in court.”
Patient safety and privacy is a top concern at Planned Parenthood. All patients’ personal files will remain confidential as PPSLR continues its fight to keep them out of the hands of the Attorney General and any other prying politician.
Background:
The AG’s exploitation of the legal system to target transgender patients and care is nothing new. In early 2023, AG Bailey issued an emergency order severely restricting access to gender-affirming health care for youth and adults. The order was quickly withdrawn before a judge could rule on its legality but not before both the United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) denounced the AG’s actions.
Since March of 2023, the AG has leveraged civil investigative demands (CID) against health care providers in Missouri to intimidate them from continuing to offer evidence-based gender-affirming health care.
Gender-affirming care has been recognized as essential and life-saving care by more than two dozen leading medical organizations, including American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Medical Association, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, and more.