Planned Parenthood sues Trump admin, saying it is targeted by provision in megabill

Yahoo

08-07-2025

A federal judge in Massachusetts granted a temporary restraining order against a provision in President Donald Trump's recently passed tax and policy megabill that would deny Planned Parenthood and its member organizations Medicaid funding for one year for non-abortion health services.
Planned Parenthood, the largest reproductive health provider in the United States, and two of its member organizations had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration earlier Monday over the provision, which the groups said was meant to target Planned Parenthood and its member organizations over abortion access.
While the Hyde Amendment already prohibits the use of federal funding for abortions, the provision would prevent providers that offer abortion services and that received over $800,000 or more in federal Medicaid funding in 2023 from receiving Medicaid funding for other kinds of care for one year.
MORE: Supreme Court decision bolsters efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
Judge Indira Talwani, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, wrote in the temporary restraining order that "Defendants, their agents, employees, appointees, successors, and anyone acting in concert or participation with Defendants shall take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its members; Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah."
The order is set to remain in effect for 14 days, and a hearing has been set for July 21.
Planned Parenthood, in a statement on social media on Monday night, wrote, "We're grateful that the court acted swiftly to block this unconstitutional law attacking Planned Parenthood providers and patients... The fight is just beginning, and we look forward to our day in court!"
In its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood wrote that the bill's provision was meant "to categorically prohibit health centers associated with Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements… in order to punish them for lawful activity, namely advocating for and providing legal abortion access wholly outside the Medicaid program and without using any federal funds."
Mentioning that Planned Parenthood branches serve over a million patients using Medicaid each year, the group wrote, "losing the ability to choose a Planned Parenthood Member health center as their Medicaid provider will be devastating for Medicaid patients across the country." The group also said that Planned Parenthood clinics, services, and staff would likely be eliminated if the clinics can no longer get Medicaid reimbursement.
MORE: Justices divided over Medicaid 'right' to choose Planned Parenthood clinics
The lawsuit names Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Mehmet Oz, along with their respective agencies, as plaintiffs. ABC News has reached out to HHS and CMS for comment.
Multiple groups that oppose abortion access condemned the lawsuit, calling the bill a win for their cause and framing Planned Parenthood as desperate.
"Planned Parenthood's desperation is showing as they run to the courts again to fix a crisis of their own making. Time after time they rely on unelected judges to bail them out of trouble, rather than fix deep systemic problems internally... As Planned Parenthood doubles down on lawfare and abortion politics, they prove exactly why the One Big Beautiful Bill is a historic victory for the people, stopping half a billion dollars in forced taxpayer funding of the corrupt abortion industry for the first time," Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America director of legal affairs Katie Daniel said in a statement.