Federal Court Upholds Medicaid Funding Cuts for Abortion Providers
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration can continue its policy of withholding Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and similar health centers offering abortion services, amidst ongoing legal challenges from a coalition of predominantly Democratic states.
This decision follows multiple legal actions initiated after President Donald Trump’s legislation in July, which introduced tax breaks and spending cuts that stopped Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers receiving over $800,000 in 2023. Among these lawsuits are two filed in Massachusetts by 21 states and the District of Columbia and Planned Parenthood itself, with a third case in Maine by a network of medical clinics.
In the cases based in Massachusetts, a federal judge initially issued separate preliminary injunctions in favor of Planned Parenthood in July and the coalition of states in early December. However, the appeals court overturned the first injunction on Dec. 12 and paused the second one this Tuesday.
“Although we are disappointed in the court’s decision, we remain committed to holding the federal administration accountable and ensuring vulnerable Californians can access the health care they need,” stated California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office.
Meanwhile, the legal challenge in Maine has been withdrawn at the request of the plaintiff clinics.
Maine Family Planning, operating 18 clinics in economically disadvantaged and rural regions, shut down its primary care services in October due to financial constraints from the funding cuts.
A federal judge in August denied the restoration of funding as the lawsuit was underway, prompting an appeal from the clinics. However, the network has since notified the court of its decision to conclude the lawsuit earlier this month.
“As the Trump administration has dismantled the nation’s health care system, we have remained focused on delivering high-quality care to our patients, particularly those across rural Maine,” said CEO George Hill. “Though our lawsuit will not continue, we are not wavering in our commitment to our patients and to advocating for the health care system that Mainers need and deserve.”
The Center for Reproductive Rights, representing Maine Family Planning, emphasized that clinic leaders are prioritizing patient care. “The Trump administration on the other hand has no regard for patients or how the ‘big beautiful bill’ has made healthcare even harder to access in this country,” they stated.
Planned Parenthood, which did not provide a comment on Wednesday, previously noted that nearly half of its patients depend on Medicaid for non-abortion-related health care, given that such services were not covered by the federal insurance program. To counteract the funding loss, at least eight states, including Connecticut, have allocated state resources to support Planned Parenthood. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently announced an $8.5 million allocation for Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
In response to the appeals court’s decision, Connecticut Attorney General William Wong described the ruling as a “disappointing setback,” but highlighted that the legal proceedings are far from over. “This defunds essential, preventive healthcare, including cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections,” he remarked. “We will keep fighting to protect access to essential healthcare and to keep partisan politics out of doctors’ offices.”
Health and Human Services press secretary Emily Hilliard stated that the department does not comment on ongoing litigation but affirmed their commitment to maintaining Medicaid program integrity and legal compliance.
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