Texas Court Vacates Nationwide HIPAA Reproductive Privacy Protections

In 2025, a Texas federal court invalidated key provisions of the 2024 Reproductive Health Rule, which had expanded HIPAA privacy protections for reproductive health information, ruling that the Department of Health and Human Services exceeded its authority. This decision, which vacates most of the 2024 Rule nationwide, has created uncertainty for healthcare providers, insurers, and patients as they navigate varying federal and state privacy laws. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. CASA, Inc. may limit the impact of the Texas decision, potentially preserving some reproductive health privacy safeguards. On the legislative front, several states including Tennessee, Virginia, and California are enacting laws to protect and expand access to assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF), amidst ongoing political debates. Additionally, the Biden administration issued a Reproductive Final Rule in April 2024 to strengthen HIPAA protections against the use of reproductive health information in legal investigations, but this rule is also facing legal challenges. Together, these developments reflect a complex and evolving landscape of reproductive health privacy and access in the wake of Dobbs and subsequent judicial and legislative actions.