"The government failed to submit much briefing on the issue, presumably expecting RFRA to be inconsequential given the Final Rule's express carve-out for RFRA-protected activities. The court, however, viewed the government's failure to identify a compelling interest as a serious deficit. The court further observed that the government's own health insurance programs -- Medicare and Medicaid -- do not mandate coverage for gender transition surgeries and that the military's TRICARE health insurance program specifically excludes transition coverage." [Franciscan Alliance v. Burwell, No. 16-108 (N.D. Tex. Dec. 31, 2016)]  MORE >>