Judge halts Planned Parenthood 'defund provision' in Trump's bill
July 8 (UPI) -- A federal judge has awarded Planned Parenthood a win over the Trump administration, halting a provision in President Donald Trump's massive tax cuts and benefits bill that prevents patients from using Medicaid at its healthcare facilities.
Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts issued her temporary restraining order Monday evening, ordering the Trump administration to take "all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes to Planned Parenthood Federation and its members."
The ruling came hours after Planned Parenthood filed its lawsuit against a provision in Trump's policy bill that puts in place a one-year ban on Medicaid payments to healthcare nonprofits that provide abortion services while receiving more than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in fiscal year 2023.
The nonprofit family medical provider accused the Trump administration of unlawfully targeting it with the so-called defund provision.
It said the provision's purpose was to specifically "punish" Planned Parenthood for advocating for and providing legal abortion access outside of the Medicaid program and without using federal funds.
The lawsuit added that the provision was made specifically to target Planned Parenthood as those who would be affected by it are "almost entirely" its members.
"And if there were any doubt, President Trump, Speaker [Mike] Johnson and their allies have been promising to 'defund Planned Parenthood' for years now," the lawsuit states. "That is what the Defund Provision does."
According to the lawsuit, if the provision is allowed to stand, it would threaten the healthcare of more than 1 million Americans who use Medicaid as their insurance at Planned Parenthood centers for care ranging from birth control to cancer screenings.
"The Defund Provision is a naked attempt to leverage the government's spending power to attack and penalize Planned Parenthood and impermissibly single it out for unfavorable treatment," the lawsuit states.
"It does so not only because of Planned Parenthood members' long history of providing legal abortions to patients across the country, but also because of Planned Parenthood's unique role in advocating for policies to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion."
In a statement following the ruling, Planned Parenthood said it was "grateful" for the swift action.
"In states across the country, providers have been forced to turn away patients who use Medicaid to get basic sexual and reproductive healthcare because President Trump and his backers in Congress passed a law to block them from going to Planned Parenthood," it said on Threads.
"The fight is just beginning, and we look forward to our day in court!"
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