• District of Columbia: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered an immediate pause on gender-affirming care for all active-duty service members. The decision follows an executive order by President Donald Trump that rescinded Biden-era policies allowing transgender service members to serve openly in the military. Several advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and GLAD Law, have filed lawsuits against the executive order on behalf of transgender service members. Aside from the military, the Trump administration has also targeted gender-affirming care for individuals under 19, putting federal funding for hospitals and medical institutions on the line. In response, attorneys general from Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota have filed a lawsuit against the executive order, saying that it violates the Fifth and 10th Amendments. (Zaru, ABC News, 2/10; Brasch, Washington Post, 2/7)
• District of Columbia: Tom Engels has been appointed as the new administrator of HRSA. Engels previously held the position during Trump's first term as president from 2019 to 2021. He also served on the White House COVID-19 task force and helped implement the Provider Relief Fund, which helped health providers financially during the pandemic. Most recently, Engels was sergeant at arms at the Wisconsin Senate. Engels replaces Carole Johnson, who served as HRSA administrator under the Biden administration. (AHA News, 2/12; Leonard, Politico Pro [subscription required], 2/10)
• Massachusetts: Mass General Brigham has announced plans to lay off hundreds of employees over the next two months as it restructures its operations amid a projected $250 million budget deficit. Although executives did not say how many people would be let go, they noted that the goal is to save at least $200 million annually, or around 2% of Mass General Brigham's salary and benefits costs. "If we do not take definitive action now to stabilize our financial health, we compromise our ability to continue to invest in our mission," said Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham. "This decision was reached by clinical, academic and administrative leaders from across our system after thoughtfully considering the current healthcare landscape and our poor financial performance over the past several years." According to Modern Healthcare, Mass General Brigham has faced financial challenges for years, including capacity restraints, inefficient operations, and growing expenses. (Bartlett, Boston Globe/STAT+ [subscription required], 2/10; Hudson, Modern Healthcare, 2/10)

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