Texas Attorney General Sues Doctors over Fraudulent ‘Gender transition’ Billing
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched unprecedented legal action against two North Texas physicians, alleging they illegally provided gender transition drugs to minors and later defrauded Texas Medicaid. The lawsuits, filed in October and November 2024, represent the first time a state has pursued healthcare fraud allegations related to such medical interventions on children.
Landmark Cases and License Surrender
The Attorney General’s Healthcare Programme Enforcement Division initiated legal proceedings against May Lau and M. Brett cooper, doctors accused of prescribing “gender transition” drugs to dozens of Texas children in violation of state law.In a significant development earlier this year, May lau voluntarily surrendered her medical license following the lawsuit brought by Attorney General Paxton.
Evidence of concealed Illegal Activity
New evidence uncovered by the Office of the attorney General points to deliberate attempts to conceal illicit activity. This included falsifying records, altering diagnosis codes, and submitting deceptive billing information – actions that support new claims of healthcare fraud. According to the Attorney General’s office, Lau and Cooper concealed the “gender transition” interventions through these deceptive billing practices, allowing them to improperly secure Medicaid reimbursement for services explicitly prohibited by Texas law and Texas Medicaid guidelines.
First-of-Its-Kind Fraud Allegations
Attorney General Paxton has added claims under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act (“THFPA”) to the cases against both doctors. This marks a pivotal moment, as it is indeed the first instance nationwide of a state bringing healthcare fraud allegations against medical providers for providing unlawful “gender transitioning” services to children. The Attorney General is seeking recovery of three times the amount of improperly paid Medicaid funds, alongside significant civil penalties for each unlawful act.
Strong Condemnation from Attorney General Paxton
“What these radicals were doing was evil, and I will pursue every available legal tool to stop and punish this cruel child abuse,” stated Attorney General Paxton. “Any fraudulent scheme to steal hardworking Texans’ taxpayer dollars will be stopped and repaid in full. Under my watch, the transgender activists using their positions in the medical field to illegally ‘transition’ children will face the full force of the law.”
readers can access the petition against M. brett Cooper [here](click here) and the petition against May Lau [here](click here).
Why: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton alleges that doctors May Lau and M. Brett Cooper illegally provided gender transition drugs to minors and defrauded texas medicaid.
Who: The key figures are texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Dr.May Lau, and Dr. M. Brett Cooper.The victims are the children who received the treatments and Texas taxpayers.
What: The doctors are accused of prescribing prohibited gender transition drugs to minors and fraudulently billing Medicaid for these services by falsifying records and altering diagnosis codes.
How did it end?: Dr. May Lau voluntarily surrendered her medical license. The Attorney General is pursuing legal action against both doctors under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act, seeking triple damages for improperly paid Medicaid funds and civil penalties.The case against Dr. Cooper is ongoing.
