Federal Judge Blocks Medicaid Cuts for Some Planned Parenthood Clinics Amid Legal Battle with Trump Administration
- Victor Nwoko
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Planned Parenthood secured a partial legal victory Monday in its ongoing fight against the Trump administration over a controversial provision in the former president's tax legislation aimed at defunding abortion providers.
The disputed provision, included in the administration's signature tax bill, halts Medicaid payments for one year to any abortion provider that received more than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements during 2023. This includes organizations like Planned Parenthood, which also offer a range of other health services such as contraception, pregnancy testing, and STD screening.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, presiding in Boston, issued a preliminary injunction blocking the federal government from enforcing the funding cutoff—for now—against Planned Parenthood affiliates that either do not provide abortion services or fell below the $800,000 reimbursement threshold in a given year.
It remains unclear how many Planned Parenthood clinics will retain Medicaid funding under the injunction and how many will still be subject to the defunding provision.
In response to the ruling, Planned Parenthood expressed gratitude that the court recognized the “harm” the law poses, while also voicing concern that some affiliates will still lose funding. The organization warned that the decision may result in “chaos, confusion, and harm for patients who could now be turned away when seeking lifesaving reproductive health care.”
“The court has not yet ruled on whether it will grant preliminary injunctive relief to other members,” the organization added. “We remain hopeful that the court will grant this relief. There will be nothing short of a public health crisis if Planned Parenthood members are allowed to be ‘defunded.’”
The lawsuit was filed earlier this month against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its member organizations in Massachusetts and Utah.
The plaintiffs argued the law would lead to severe consequences across the country, including increased rates of undiagnosed and untreated sexually transmitted diseases and cancers. In their filing, they wrote, “With no reason other than plain animus, the law will prevent Planned Parenthood Members from providing vital — indeed, lifesaving — care to more than one million patients. This statute is unconstitutional and will inflict irreparable harm on Planned Parenthood Members and their patients.”
Federal lawyers defending the legislation argued the measure “stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion,” and emphasized that the law was enacted by all three democratically elected branches of government in line with the electorate’s expectations on taxpayer spending.
“The plaintiffs now want this Court to reject that judgment and supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences,” government attorneys wrote. “That request is legally groundless.”
Judge Talwani had previously issued a temporary restraining order hours after the lawsuit was filed, preventing the enforcement of the funding cuts. That order was set to expire Monday but is now superseded by the new preliminary injunction.
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