Full Breakdown
UPMC Settles with DOJ, Ends Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Agreement
On September 18, 2026, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) announced a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that requires the health system to cease providing gender-affirming care to patients under 19 and to pay $950,000. The DOJ reached a parallel settlement with New York University Langone Hospitals, which will pay $8.5 million. Both hospitals will receive “credit for cooperation” and protections for patient privacy, confidentiality and non-prosecution, while expressly admitting no wrongdoing.
Background & Context
The settlements follow a broader federal effort, begun under the Trump administration, to restrict gender-affirming treatments for minors. The DOJ previously issued subpoenas seeking private medical records of patients who received such care at UPMC and other facilities, describing the practice as potential “medical fraud.” After the DOJ dropped its pursuit of UPMC’s patient records a month earlier, the hospital opted to resolve the matter to avoid prolonged litigation and protect sensitive health information.
Data & Statistics
- Settlement amounts: UPMC $950,000; NYU $8.5 million.
- The DOJ has secured similar agreements with Mount Sinai Health System, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic and Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
- A 2015 study by the Trevor Project found that gender-affirming care is associated with reduced suicide attempts and ideation among transgender youth.
Official Statements & Responses
The DOJ said the hospitals “took significant steps” to cooperate and were “solutions-driven” throughout the investigation, noting that the settlements allow continued cooperation in probing other entities.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Department of Justice is fighting to protect our nation’s children and working tirelessly to reach agreements with hospitals to end so-called ‘gender affirming care’ for minors,” — U.S. Attorney General Todd
The settlements mark the latest chapter in the federal push to end gender-affirming care for minors, while hospitals cite privacy and litigation concerns as primary motivations for reaching agreements.