Court Allows Trump Administration to Block Medicaid Funds to Planned Parenthood

BOSTON (AP) — A U.S. appeals court panel on Thursday permitted President Donald Trump’s administration to block Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood while legal challenges continue. This decision follows a federal judge’s ruling in July that favored the organization as it seeks to maintain its funding amidst ongoing conflicts with the Trump administration.

Medicaid is a government healthcare program that supports millions of low-income and disabled Americans. Close to half of Planned Parenthood’s patients rely on Medicaid for healthcare services.

Under a provision in Trump’s tax bill, the federal government was instructed to halt Medicaid payments for one year to abortion providers that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023. This move affects organizations like Planned Parenthood, which also offers essential medical services such as contraception, pregnancy tests, and STD testing.

In response to the funding cuts, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, along with its member organizations in Massachusetts and Utah, filed a lawsuit in July against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Dominique Lee, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, expressed determination in a statement, saying, “While the Trump administration wants to rip away reproductive freedom, we’re here to say loud and clear: we will not back down. This is not over.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the ruling.

Planned Parenthood indicated that the appeals court decision could prevent more than 1.1 million patients from using their Medicaid insurance at its health centers. The organization warned that up to 200 of its health centers might face potential closure as a result.

Planned Parenthood also maintains that it is a crucial advocate for affordable sexual and reproductive healthcare, and it serves as the largest provider of sex education in the nation.