AG Nessel reissued an open letter to all Michigan healthcare providers and patients with reminders on providing and seeking healthcare services in compliance with Michigan law.  Since taking office, President Trump has taken steps to limit healthcare options for minors including issuing executive orders to halt care, threatening to pull federal funding, and subpoenaing healthcare facilities and providers under the guise of investigating healthcare practices. The AG’s open letter notes for patients and healthcare providers that “the availability of federal funding has no bearing on Michiganders’ right to seek and receive healthcare services without discrimination. Moreover, access to federal funds does not relieve Michigan healthcare facilities and providers of the obligation to comply with Michigan laws, including those that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on their membership in a protected class, such as religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, or marital status. See, e.g., MCL § § 37.2102, 2202, 2302. Refusing healthcare services to a class of individuals based on their protected status, such as withholding the availability of services from transgender individuals based on their gender identity or their diagnosis of gender dysphoria, while offering such services to cisgender individuals, may constitute discrimination under Michigan law.”

Recently, the University of Michigan’s (UM) hospital system, Michigan Medicine, has announced that in response to pressure from the Trump Administration, it will cease providing medication and treatment often used in gender affirming healthcare to patients under 19. It is unclear if these services will remain available to cisgender youth.

“The announcement from the University of Michigan that they will no longer provide their transgender patients with all of the healthcare options available is shameful, dangerous, and potentially illegal. This cowardly acquiescence to political pressure from this president and his administration is not what patients have come to expect from an institution that has labeled itself, ‘the leaders and the best,’ and my Department will be considering all of our options if they violate Michigan law." – AG Nessel