Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s largest reproductive health care providers, has vowed to take the Trump administration to court over a provision in a newly-passed megabill that would cut federal funding to the organization for up to one year. The provision, which was included in the House-passed reconciliation bill and awaits the president’s signature, prohibits providers that offer abortions from accepting Medicaid funding for any other reproductive health care services. This move has been widely hailed as a major victory for pro-life advocates, with SBA Pro-Life America calling it the greatest pro-life victory since the Dobbs decision.
Alexis McGill Johnson, the group’s president and CEO, denounced the provision as an ‘unlawful’ and ‘targeted attack’ on the organization and its patients. She emphasized that access to high-quality, affordable health care should be a right for everyone, saying that the group would continue fighting for this right. ‘We’ve been fighting for this for the last century — and we’ll never stop,’ she said, announcing the group’s intention to sue the administration. The group warned that the provision could lead to the closure of nearly 200 Planned Parenthood centers across 24 states, with 90% of those closures impacting states where abortion remains legal. This could result in over 1 million patients losing access to essential reproductive health services, including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and treatment.
The provision was included in the bill as a direct response to a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for states to deprive Planned Parenthood and similar clinics from receiving Medicaid funding. This decision has been met with bipartisan support, with many Republicans and anti-abortion advocates applauding the move. The bill’s passage in the House represents a significant shift in the administration’s approach to reproductive health care. The group has also warned that the financial strain on its services could lead to a potential crisis for patients who rely on its services for affordable, accessible healthcare. Planned Parenthood has emphasized that its services are essential to the nation’s health care infrastructure, and that cutting off funding would have a devastating impact on its patients.
The group’s legal challenge is expected to test the limits of federal funding laws, and could potentially lead to a Supreme Court case on the matter. The administration’s decision to sign the bill is likely to be controversial, as it could lead to a significant reduction in access to reproductive health services for thousands of patients. The group’s lawsuit is seen as a critical step in the fight to preserve access to reproductive healthcare nationwide. As the debate continues, the outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching implications for the future of reproductive healthcare in the United States.