Hospital sues Missouri’s top prosecutor over trans care

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City hospital is suing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey over what it calls his “burdensome” requests for records on gender-affirming care.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Jackson County, attorneys for Children’s Mercy Hospital asked a judge to deny Bailey’s 54 investigative demands for records and testimony despite the hospital facing no allegations of wrongdoing, The Kansas City Star reported.

Bailey has demanded that the hospital provide records on any prescriptions for hormone blockers as well as surgeries for transgender patients, the lawsuit said. He’s also asking for information on when the hospital has reported child abuse.

Bailey’s spokeswoman, Madeline Sieren, questioned the hospital’s contention that its gender transition practices are evidence-based and said the facility is refusing to provide “even a single document” to explain its practices.

“That is very concerning,” Sieren said. “We look forward to prevailing in this request for information and learning what is truly going on with Children’s Mercy in connection with gender transition issues.”

In February, Bailey, a Republican who was appointed attorney general in November, announced he was investigating the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after an employee alleged the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent.

Bailey has since expanded the investigation to other health care providers in Missouri.

On Thursday, Bailey introduced an emergency rule that will impose several restrictions before adults and children can receive drugs, hormones or surgeries “for the purpose of transitioning gender.”

Republican lawmakers across the country, including Missouri, have proposed hundreds of laws aimed at transgender people, with a particular emphasis on health care.

At least 13 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Children’s Mercy argues in its lawsuit that releasing the information sought by Bailey would violate state and federal laws, including those involving private medical decisions made between patients and doctors.