FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2026
CONTACTS: Lauren Gray, lgray@nclrights.org (917-985-0709)
Maria Sundeen, msundeen@wclp.org
Teddy Basham-Witherington, TWitherington@impactfund.org
New lawsuit follows the temporary restraining order secured by Attorney General Rob Bonta to keep care in place and protect transgender youth from discriminatory denial of medically necessary care
SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, California families publicly filed a lawsuit against Rady Children’s Health, the nonprofit parent organization overseeing Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), to stop the hospital system from unlawfully cutting off medical care for transgender adolescents and young adults. The families are represented by Western Center on Law & Poverty, together with Impact Fund and the National Center for LGBTQ Rights.
The lawsuit challenges the hospital system’s January 20, 2026, announcement that it would stop providing health care to treat transgender youth —care that every major medical organization recognizes as well-established and medically necessary. The hospital’s announcement followed the federal administration’s December 16 proposed rule that would bar facilities that provide this health care from receiving any funding from the federal Medicare or Medicaid programs. The proposed rule has not yet gone into effect.
Rady Children’s Health planned to halt services on February 6, placing an estimated 1,900 patients at risk of losing access to ongoing treatment. However, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a temporary restraining order (TRO) which temporarily prevented the hospital system from ending care.
While the Attorney General’s case raises administrative compliance concerns, the families’ lawsuit alleges that the hospital’s decision violates California’s anti-discrimination law.
“No hospital in California has the right to single out transgender youth and deny them critical health care,” said Amy Whelan, National Center for LGBTQ Rights Senior Staff Attorney. “That is discrimination, plain and simple, and it violates California law. We filed this lawsuit to ensure that these young people receive the health care their doctors have prescribed and that the law guarantees them.”
“Transgender youth and their families should not have to fear that hospitals will end essential medical care overnight,” said Lori Rifkin, Impact Fund Litigation Director. “Hospitals have a responsibility to follow the law and provide equal access to health care. Discrimination has no place in medicine.”
“Medical care–and especially critically important care–should be decided by patients and their doctors. But if the hospitals refuse to protect their patients, our clients have no choice but to protect themselves,” said Helen Tran, Senior Attorney at Western Center on Law & Poverty.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief to prevent Rady Children’s Health from ending transgender healthcare, and to ensure transgender youth continue receiving treatment without disruption, discrimination, or unlawful denial of services.
About Western Center on Law & Poverty
Western Center on Law & Poverty is California’s leading legal organization working to end poverty and advance racial and economic justice. For nearly 60 years, Western Center has fought for policies and legal protections that ensure low-income communities can access healthcare, housing, food security, and fundamental civil rights.
About Impact Fund
Impact Fund is a legal services nonprofit that provides funding, training, and strategic support, including co-counseling, to advocates pursuing impact litigation to advance economic, environmental, racial, and social justice.
About National Center for LGBTQ Rights
National Center for LGBTQ Rights is a nonprofit legal organization that advances civil and human rights for LGBTQ people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education. Founded in 1977, NCLR is the first national LGBTQ legal organization founded by women, bringing a fierce commitment to racial and economic justice and to our community’s most vulnerable. For more information, visit www.nclrights.org.
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