In a recent ruling, a federal judge in Mississippi has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing new anti-discrimination rules in healthcare for transgender Americans. US District Judge Louis Guirola cited a landmark Supreme Court ruling that weakened the power of federal agencies as the basis for his decision. The preliminary injunction comes just two days before the new protections were set to take effect.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had unveiled the new rules earlier this year, aiming to prevent health providers and insurers receiving federal funding from discriminating against individuals seeking care based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. These rules were meant to restore protections for transgender patients that were rolled back by the Trump administration in 2020.

However, the rules faced legal challenges, including from a group of Republican state attorneys general who argued that HHS had exceeded its authority in issuing the new rules. They contended that they would be harmed by a loss of federal funding if they did not comply with the changes. Judge Guirola agreed with their arguments and ruled that HHS had wrongly relied on a 2020 Supreme Court ruling (Bostock v. Clayton County) that emphasized protections for LGBTQ+ workers.

Judge Guirola further pointed to a recent Supreme Court decision that overturned the "Chevron Deference" precedent. This precedent required courts to defer to federal agencies' regulations based on ambiguous laws. The judge stated that the Biden administration's reliance on the Bostock ruling and the Chevron Deference precedent was unreasonable.

The blocked rules originate from Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination in healthcare based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The new HHS guidelines clarified that this prohibition on sex discrimination includes LGBTQ+ patients and establishes that access to care should not be limited based on a patient's sex assigned at birth or gender identity. However, exemptions based on religious beliefs of healthcare providers still apply.

The ruling by Judge Guirola applies nationwide and blocks the Biden administration from implementing these anti-discrimination rules. The HHS has not yet provided a comment on the ruling.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, one of the Republican officials challenging the new protections, commended the decision, stating that the administration has repeatedly issued regulations that distort the law to push forth an ideological agenda.

This ruling represents a setback for advocates of transgender rights and underscores the legal challenges that the Biden administration faces in its efforts to protect LGBTQ+ Americans. The case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the extent of federal agencies' authority and the interpretation of civil rights laws.

As the legal battle continues, the fate of these anti-discrimination rules and their impact on transgender healthcare remains uncertain.