The move follows an investigation into possible billing fraud at the medical school. While the state has the legal right to request private medical records, releasing these records has raised concerns among families whose children sought treatment at VUMC.
According to John Howser, VUMC's chief communications officer, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General requested the requests to investigate transgender care at VUMC. The state has asked for material dating back to January 1, 2018, specifically looking into "billing for transgender care services provided to individuals enrolled in State-sponsored insurance plans." VUMC has assured its patients that their records "would remain confidential as required by Tennessee law."
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However, the move has caused alarm among some families. Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, said that parents of patients had reached out, panicked about the situation. Sanders said the families were "terrified," adding that "they feel like their privacy has been violated." The report stated that Sanders had expressed discontent with VUMC not fighting harder to prevent the records from being turned over.
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The investigation was sparked after Skrmetti said, last fall, that his Office had planned to look into VUMC's protocols after conservative advocates released allegations that suggested the medical school had punished those who had refused child sex-change treatment and that some schemes were exclusive to make money. Vanderbilt has denied the allegations.
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AG Chief of Staff Brandon Smith said in an email that he was surprised to find that VUMC had "deliberately chosen to frighten its patients like this," per the report. "The Office does not publicize fraud investigations to preserve the integrity of the investigative process. The Office maintains patient records in the strictest confidence, as required by law. The investigation is focused solely on VUMC and certain related providers, not patients, as VUMC is well aware."
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