Selina Simmons-Duffin

Secretary Kennedy published a declaration last week calling gender-affirming care for youth, quote, neither safe nor effective, unquote, to treat gender dysphoria.

The declaration then says that if hospitals and doctors provide this care to young patients, they could be barred from getting Medicare and Medicaid payments entirely.

Now, a coalition of 19 Democratic-led states and D.C.

are asking the U.S.

District Court in Eugene, Oregon, to rule the HHS declaration unlawful and block its enforcement.

In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said, quote, Secretary Kennedy cannot unilaterally change medical standards by posting a document online.

HHS declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Selina Simmons-Duffin, NPR News.

24 million people were enrolled in these Obamacare plans this year, and almost all of them got these generous federal subsidies that came in during the pandemic to help keep their premium costs really affordable, like $10 a month for many people.

Those enhanced subsidies expire in a matter of weeks.

So many people are looking at way higher premium costs.

The enhanced premium subsidies that have kept costs down for enrollees expire at the end of the year.

Without them, costs are going up.

For Amy Jackson of Butler, Missouri, her premium is going from under $300 a month to $1,250.

She's not sure congressional lawmakers understand.

You know, for them, $1,000 is probably nothing.

It's probably what they blow on dinner.

But for me, that's half of my wage.

She has breast cancer and is trying to get as much treatment as possible into this calendar year.

She's been calling her representatives and telling them that people like her need help now.