Man Sues, Challenging MassHealth's Circumcision Coverage

BOSTON — A lawsuit claiming state-funded circumcisions are a waste of taxpayer money will be allowed to move forward following a Suffolk Superior Court judge's ruling last week.

Ronald Goldman, an anti-circumcision activist from Boston, and 27 other plaintiffs filed the lawsuit challenging the way MassHealth pays for the procedure. Goldman's complaint argues that taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay for medically-unnecessary circumcisions.

Judge Robert Gordon rejected the Executive Office of Health and Human Services's motion to dismiss the case, saying state law allows citizens to sue the state if they believe taxpayer money is being wasted. Goldman raised money for the lawsuit for the lawsuit through a GoFundMe campaign through the Circumcision Resource Center, the activist group he founded.

Goldman wants a ban on MassHealth paying for religious and cosmetic circumcisions. He also wants the state to set up an institutional review board to make sure circumcisions performed in the state are medically necessary.

According to Gordon's ruling, the Supreme Court has already ruled that federal rules prevent private lawsuits on how government agencies spend Medicaid money. But the lawsuit can move forward under the state law.

Previously on Patch: Appeal Filed In Harvard Circumcision Case