Federal judge halts Biden administration rule on gender identity discrimination in healthcare

A federal judge in Mississippi on Wednesday blocked a new Department of Health and Human Services rule from taking effect, deeming that the Biden administration overstepped in issuing a new rule against gender identity discrimination in healthcare.

The department announced the new rule in May, claiming that the federal law that bans discrimination based on sex in a Affordable Care Act health insurance law also extends to people that are transgender. The rule was set to go into effect on Friday, according to Reuters. 

U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola agreed with 15 conservative states that sued the administration in his ruling, agreeing that the new law exceeded the government's authority. 

The ruling comes after several federal judges rolled back new rules from the Department of Education, which expanded the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity and pregnancy at public schools, and included a ban on single-sex bathroom and locker rooms. Those rules, which were expected to take effect in August, have been stopped in 14 states.

The new rules were part of the Biden administration's efforts to expand protections for transgender Americans. The Biden administration in 2022 instructed federal agencies to ensure transgender people have equal access to health care.