The Cleveland Clinic recently agreed to halt “transgender”-related medical procedures for minors under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
Under the settlement, the Ohio-based health system is prohibited from providing patients under the age of 18 with puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, surgeries, and other “transgender”-related medical procedures, according to a June 16 article from Breitbart.
The agreement also bars Cleveland Clinic from referring minors for such procedures, coordinating the procedures through third parties, or operating facilities that provide them. The restrictions will remain in effect for 20 years.
Breitbart reported that the settlement resolves allegations that Cleveland Clinic submitted false diagnosis codes to Ohio Medicaid for “transgender”-related services provided to minors. The allegations, which date back to Jan. 1, 2020, involve claims by federal and state officials that the hospital falsified certain diagnosis codes for “transgender”-related procedures.
The settlement also requires Cleveland Clinic to pay $308,000 and provide up to $2 million in detransition-related care, including endocrine care, fertility restoration, psychological support, surgical revision and reconstruction, and other services for individuals who underwent related procedures before age 19.
Cleveland Clinic denies the allegations. According to the settlement, the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability and was reached to avoid prolonged litigation, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense while protecting patient privacy.
Cleveland Clinic described the matter as “an unintentional coding issue involving a small number of patients” and said it worked collaboratively with authorities to reach a resolution, according to News 5 Cleveland, an ABC affiliate.
“We remain focused on providing exceptional care to our patients and communities,” the health system said. “We have complied and will continue to comply with all federal and state laws.”
Ohio law currently prohibits physicians from providing “transgender”-related medical procedures to minors, according to News 5 Cleveland.
When he announced the settlement June 5, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the DOJ remains dedicated to safeguarding children and enforcing federal law.
The settlement follows a similar agreement reached last month with Texas Children's Hospital, which included a $10 million payment, a permanent ban on “transgender” medical procedures for minors, and the establishment of a clinic dedicated to treating detransitioners, as Zeale News previously reported.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the department will continue investigating health care providers and pharmaceutical companies involved in such medical interventions for minors.
“I am grateful for this resolution with Cleveland Clinic, but our work is far from over,” Shumate said. “Our division will continue to work tirelessly to protect America’s children.”