A Texas healthcare system is under federal scrutiny after a civil rights complaint accused it of racial discrimination in how it selects vendors. The medical advocacy group Do No Harm filed the complaint against JPS Health Network, also known as the Tarrant County Hospital District, for requiring vendors to be minority-, woman-, or veteran-owned—or to show proof of subcontracting with such businesses.
Do No Harm’s medical director, Dr. Kurt Miceli, said JPS’s policy undermines fairness in the medical field. “By using racially discriminatory criteria to select vendors, JPS Health Network is depriving well-deserving businesses of a fair opportunity to contract with the health system,” he told The Center Square. “Merit and expertise should be prioritized at every level of healthcare.”
The group argues that JPS, as a federally funded entity, is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act—both of which prohibit racial discrimination by healthcare providers receiving federal money.
JPS Health Network operates a 582-bed hospital and over 25 clinics, employing more than 7,200 professionals. Its vendor guidelines require that consulting service providers either qualify as minority, woman, or veteran-owned business enterprises (MWVBEs) or demonstrate “efforts” to subcontract with those groups. Vendors failing to meet this standard may be excluded from future contracts.
In response, JPS said it is reviewing the complaint but believes its policies align with Tarrant County’s goals to include historically underutilized businesses. “As the allegations are unverified, we will not comment on the specifics,” a JPS spokesperson said.
Miceli called the use of identity-based criteria “unjust” and said that “medical institutions that promote harmful ideologies in medicine must be systematically exposed.” He added that while public pressure can bring reform, “more assertive actions are needed to eliminate identity politics—such as lawsuits, complaints, and investigations.”
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that it had received the complaint but declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
