Indiana Attorney General Sues Hospital System Over Abortion Privacy of Ohio Minor

Indiana’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the state’s largest hospital system, accusing it of violating patient privacy laws. The lawsuit claims that the hospital system allowed a doctor to publicly share the story of an Ohio girl who traveled to Indiana for an abortion. This case became controversial in the abortion debate after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.

Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican who is against abortion, has been trying to take legal action against Dr. Caitlin Bernard. However, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board only reprimanded Bernard for not abiding by privacy laws, instead of suspending her medical license as Rokita had hoped.

The lawsuit alleges that the hospital system, Indiana University Health and IU Healthcare Associates, violated patient privacy laws, including the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and a state law, by not protecting the patient’s information.

The hospital system has argued that Bernard did not violate privacy laws. They expressed disappointment with the attorney general’s decision to pursue legal action and stated that they will respond directly to the filing.

The case involves a 10-year-old girl who traveled to Indiana for an abortion after being raped. In July, the perpetrator was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.