Texas Judge Bars ACA Transgender Protections

In the article, "Texas Judge Bars ACA Transgender Protections," featured on SHRM, attorney Jaklyn Wrigley discusses the impact of a federal judge in Texas blocking enforcement of Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections aimed at preventing health care providers from discriminating based on gender identity.

The injunction has nationwide reach, and therefore, any entity that would have been covered by Section 1557 and the final rule is impacted by the decision, according to Jaklyn Wrigley, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Gulfport, Miss.

"Given the broad definition of a covered entity, this affects just about every health care provider," she said, although responses to the ruling may depend on a covered entity's particular circumstances.

"If the government chooses to appeal, it will have to urge the 5th Circuit to act much more quickly than federal appellate courts normally do," Wrigley said.

"With that changing of the guard, there will be an uncertain legal environment until we glean some insight on what a Trump administration will mean for the federal government," Wrigley added.

To read the full article, please visit SHRM.