Daijiworld Media Network - Boston

Boston, Aug 18: A federal court has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a provision in a recent tax and spending bill that would have cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, ruling the measure likely unconstitutional.

District Judge Indira Talwani’s ruling ensures Medicaid payments continue for all Planned Parenthood clinics. “Patients are likely to suffer adverse health consequences where care is disrupted or unavailable,” she noted, highlighting risks of unintended pregnancies and untreated STIs. The court clarified it does not require the government to fund abortions or services outside Medicaid coverage.

Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit earlier this month, warning that nearly 200 clinics in 24 states could close, affecting over 1 million patients. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, said the case protects access to birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing for Medicaid patients.

The provision in question targeted abortion providers receiving over $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023, which Planned Parenthood said was the clear intent of the law. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services criticized the ruling, saying it “undermines state flexibility and disregards longstanding concerns about accountability.”

Nearly half of Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid for healthcare services.