Federal judge blocks sharing of WA Medicaid data for immigration enforcement

[In It to Win It]

SEATTLE – A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction to block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using Medicaid data obtained from Washington and 19 other plaintiff states for immigration enforcement purposes.

The judge also barred the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing Medicaid data with DHS, saying that Washington and the multistate coalition were likely to succeed on their claim that the action violated the Administrative Procedure Act’s prohibition on arbitrary and capricious agency action.

The preliminary injunction will remain in place either until after HHS and DHS complete a reasoned decision-making process that complies with the Administrative Procedure Act, or until litigation concludes.

“Protecting people’s private health information is vitally important,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “And everyone should be able to seek medical care without fear of what the federal government may do with that information.”

On July 1, Washington joined a multistate coalition led by California to sue the Trump administration, arguing that the mass transfer of Medicaid data violates the law and asking the court to block any new transfer or use of this data for immigration enforcement purposes.

https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/judge-blocks-sharing-wa-medicaid-data-immigration-enforcement

[leftstreet]

1. DURec