On January 24, 2026, advocates for transgender health care rallied outside the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) to protest the hospital’s decision to discontinue certain gender-affirming treatments. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has since initiated a lawsuit against Rady Children’s Health, CHOC’s parent company, claiming it violated the terms of a 2024 merger agreement that guaranteed continued access to gender-affirming care for youth.
The hospital system announced last month that it would stop hormone treatments for patients under the age of 19, effective February 6, 2026. This decision affects approximately 1,450 patients currently receiving these treatments. While CHOC stated that it would still provide hormone replacement therapy for those aged 19 and older, it will limit care for younger patients to consultations without hormone therapies or surgeries.
Bonta’s lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction that would compel Rady to restore all gender-affirming services to the same levels as those provided at the time of the merger. He criticized the health system for “flagrantly disregarding its legal obligations” and making decisions based on recent federal actions that may limit youth access to gender-affirming care.
In his statement, Bonta highlighted the potential long-term health impacts of discontinuing prescribed hormone treatments for transgender youth, emphasizing that even brief interruptions can significantly affect a patient’s mental health and overall well-being. He pointed out the inadequate notice provided to families, stating that the abrupt changes left “hundreds of patients in medical limbo.”
One father of a trans patient at Rady Children’s Health expressed concern over the lack of communication from the hospital regarding the treatment changes. He discovered through a nonprofit organization, TransFamily Support Services, that his son could no longer receive hormone prescriptions. The notification he received was a brief message in a health care app, without any detailed explanation or guidance on next steps.
In response to the lawsuit, Rady Children’s Health acknowledged awareness of the legal action but did not clarify whether it would proceed with the announced restrictions. The hospital stated that its decision was guided by responsibilities as a nonprofit to serve all families and communities, including compliance with essential federal programs. Rady’s communications indicated it would address Bonta’s concerns through the legal process, but it did not directly answer queries about reversing the restrictions.
The hospital’s decision to limit gender-affirming care follows recent federal proposals aimed at restricting such treatments for youth. These changes, while still undergoing a required comment period, have sparked significant debate about the legality and ethics of restricting access to necessary medical services for transgender individuals.
Kathie Moehlig, the founder and executive director of TransFamily Support Services, criticized Rady’s actions, stating, “They are clearly in violation of their contract. They’re clearly in violation of the law.” She noted a pattern of restrictions imposed by the health system and acknowledged the importance of the Attorney General’s lawsuit as a means to protect families seeking gender-affirming care.
The legal action taken by Bonta represents a notable shift in the state’s approach to ensuring access to gender-affirming health care for youth. In the past, his office primarily communicated with hospitals through warning letters rather than pursuing direct legal intervention. Ongoing debates about the legality of federal interventions in trans youth health care remain unresolved, with multiple lawsuits anticipated to clarify whether the federal government can legally restrict such care through funding regulations.
As the situation unfolds, the implications of this lawsuit could significantly impact the availability of essential health services for transgender youth in California and beyond.
