Supreme Court Enables States to Restrict Medicaid Funds to Planned Parenthood
In a sharply divided decision, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to permit states to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood. This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing Republican-led effort to defund the nation’s largest abortion provider.
The Core of the Dispute
The case arose from South Carolina’s decision to stop Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood for services unrelated to abortion, such as contraception, cancer screenings, and pregnancy testing. While federal law bars Medicaid money from being used for abortion services, patients often rely on Planned Parenthood for other vital healthcare because finding Medicaid-accepting providers can prove difficult.
Political and Legal Background
South Carolina’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, has championed the move to cut off funding since 2018. His administration faced a legal challenge from a Medicaid patient, Julie Edwards, who argued that under Medicaid law, patients have the right to select qualified providers of their choice. Edwards, who has diabetes that complicates pregnancy, wanted to continue receiving birth control through Planned Parenthood.
The state countered that patients should not be able to sue over provider choice, citing several lower court rulings supporting states' authority to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, as seen in Texas and elsewhere.
Implications and Reactions
Advocates for public health, including groups like the American Cancer Society, warned in legal briefs that blocking these lawsuits would harm Medicaid patients’ ability to access comprehensive care. With Medicaid covering roughly 25% of the U.S. population, concerns center on reduced healthcare access, especially in rural areas where providers are scarce.
In South Carolina, Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood amounts to about $90,000 annually, a minute fraction of the state’s total Medicaid budget. Notably, the state passed a law banning abortion after around six weeks of pregnancy following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn federal abortion protections in 2022.
What This Means Going Forward
This Supreme Court ruling could catalyze similar legislation in other states, potentially leading to the closure of approximately 200 Planned Parenthood centers nationwide—mostly in states where abortion remains legal. Lawmakers in Washington have also proposed bills aimed at cutting Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood, indicating the battle over reproductive healthcare resources is far from over.
