TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Paul Burch on Jul 25, 2023

Two transgender patients whose medical records were acquired as part of an investigation into potential billing fraud at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have filed a class-action suit against the hospital in chancery court, reports the Nashville Scene. The suit alleges the medical center shared the patient’s medical information in violation of hospital privacy policies and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In addition, the suit alleges, “VUMC knew about the State’s active targeting of the transgender community.” The suit goes on to claim some of the patient records that were disclosed were not patients of the VUMC Transgender Health Clinic; that patient’s personal information was not protected; and that patients were not informed their records had been acquired by the Tennessee attorney general’s office.