Trump-Backed br 'Conscience' Rule for Healthcare br Providers Voided by US Judge.br The rule made it easier forbr healthcare workers, including br doctors and nurses, to deny certain br services due to moral or religious reasons.br Critics of the rule have said it could br allow for open discrimination against br the LGBTQ community or refusal br to perform abortion procedures.br According to U.S. District br Judge Paul Engelmayer, the br "conscience" rule is coercive. .br It would permit the withholdingbr of billions in federal funding from br providers that failed to comply.br Wherever the outermost line where persuasion gives way to coercion lies, the threat to pull all HHS funding here crosses it, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, via Reuters.br Judge Engelmayer's ruling stands br in New York and 21 other states.