HHS, Providers Drop Trump Health Worker Conscience Rule Appeals

The Second Circuit Thursday ended a fight over a Trump administration rule that threatened to strip health-care entities of federal money if they disciplined workers for refusing to provide services that violate their moral or religious beliefs.

The federal appeals court certified the parties’ stipulation withdrawing their challenge of a decision that vacated the rule from its review. The rule was touted as a means of strengthening health-care workers’ conscience rights, but never took effect, due to litigation that resulted in its invalidation.

The government entities reported to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in November that ...