Latest news with #BigAbortion
Medscape
7 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
US Judge Blocks Trump-backed Medicaid Cuts to Planned Parenthood
(Reuters) -A federal judge on Monday blocked enforcement of a provision in U.S. President Donald Trump's recently enacted tax and spending bill that would deprive Planned Parenthood and its members of Medicaid funding, saying it is likely unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a preliminary injunction after finding the law likely violated the U.S. Constitution by targeting Planned Parenthood's health centers specifically for punishment for providing abortions. That provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by the Republican-led Congress denied certain tax-exempt organizations and their affiliates from receiving Medicaid funds if they continue to provide abortions. The U.S. Department of Justice argued that "the bill stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion" and urged Talwani not to let Planned Parenthood and its members "supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences." Talwani, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the law's text and structure made clear that it was crafted to cover every member of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the parent organization, even if they were not named. That specificity likely transformed the provision at issue into an unconstitutional "bill of attainder," an act of Congress that wrongly seeks to inflict punishment without a trial, the judge said. "Plaintiffs are likely to establish that Congress singled them out with punitive intent," Talwani wrote. She said the law also violated Planned Parenthood members' equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment and burdened the right of some who do not provide abortions to associate with their parent organization in likely violation of the First Amendment. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields in a statement called the ruling "not only absurd but illogical and incorrect." The administration is already appealing an earlier ruling by Talwani in the same case. "It is orders like these that underscore the audacity of the lower courts as well as the chaos within the judicial branch," Fields said. "We look forward to ultimate victory on the issue." The judge last week had issued a partial injunction that only covered some Planned Parenthood members. Because an earlier temporary restraining order was expiring, Planned Parenthood said many health centers were forced to stop billing for Medicaid services ahead of Monday's ruling. Planned Parenthood has said the law would have "catastrophic" consequences for its nearly 600 health centers, putting nearly 200 of them in 24 states at risk of closure. "We will keep fighting this cruel law so that everyone can get birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other critical health care, no matter their insurance," Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood Federation of America's president, said in a statement. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Alistair Bell and Cynthia Osterman)
Los Angeles Times
11 hours ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
California, other states sue Trump administration over bill defunding Planned Parenthood
California and a coalition of other liberal-led states sued the Trump administration Tuesday over a provision in the 'Big Beautiful Bill' that bars Planned Parenthood and other large nonprofit abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funding for a host of unrelated healthcare services. The measure has threatened clinics across the country that rely on federal funding to operate. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, who is helping to lead the litigation, called it a 'cruel, backdoor abortion ban' that violates the law in multiple ways. The states' challenge comes one day after Planned Parenthood won a major victory in its own lawsuit over the measure in Boston, where a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the ban from taking effect against Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide. Federal law already prohibits the use of federal Medicaid funding to pay for abortions, but the new 'defund provision' in the bill passed by Congressional Republicans earlier this month goes further. It also bars nonprofit abortion providers that generated $800,000 or more in annual Medicaid revenue in 2023 from receiving any such funding for the next year — including for services unrelated to abortion, such as annual checkups, cancer screenings, birth control and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice have argued that the measure 'stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion,' that Congress under the constitution is 'free to decline to provide taxpayer funds to entities that provide abortions,' and that Planned Parenthood's position should not hold sway over that of Congress. In announcing the states' lawsuit Monday, Bonta's office echoed Planned Parenthood officials in asserting that the provision specifically and illegally targets Planned Parenthood and its affiliate clinics — calling it 'a direct attack on the healthcare access of millions of low-income Americans, disproportionally affecting women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color.' Bonta's office said the measure threatened $300 million in federal funding for clinics in California, where Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider, and 'jeopardized the stability' of Planned Parenthood's 114 clinics across the state, which serve about 700,000 patients annually — many of whom use Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid. During a virtual news conference Monday, Bonta noted that federal funds already don't cover abortions. He said the new provision was 'punishment for Planned Parenthood's constitutionally protected advocacy for abortion' and 'a direct attack on access to essential health care for millions who rely on Medicaid.' 'The Trump administration and Congress are actually gutting essential life-saving care, like cancer screenings and STI testing, simply because Planned Parenthood has spoken out in support of reproductive rights,' Bonta said. 'The hypocrisy is really hard to ignore. A party that claims to be defenders of free speech only seem to care about it when it aligns with their own agenda.' Bonta added: 'Rest assured, California will continue to lead as a reproductive freedom state, and will continue to defend healthcare as a human right.' In their lawsuit, the states argue that the measure is unlawfully ambiguous and violates the spending powers of Congress by singling out Planned Parenthood for negative treatment, and that it will harm people's health and increase the cost of Medicaid programs for states by more than $50 million over the next decade. In its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood also argued that the measure intentionally singled it and its affiliates out for punishment, in violation of their constitutional rights, including free speech. In granting Planned Parenthood's request for a preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani wrote Monday that she was 'not enjoining the federal government from regulating abortion and is not directing the federal government to fund elective abortions or any healthcare service not otherwise eligible for Medicaid coverage.' Talwani, an Obama appointee, wrote that she also was not requiring the federal government 'to spend money not already appropriated for Medicaid or any other funds.' Instead, Talwani wrote, her order blocks the Trump administration from 'targeting a specific group of entities — Planned Parenthood Federation members — for exclusion from reimbursements under the Medicaid program,' as they were likely to prove that 'such targeted exclusion violates the United States Constitution.' In a statement to The Times Tuesday, White House spokesman Harrison Fields said the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' was 'legally passed by both chambers of the Legislative Branch and signed into law by the Chief Executive,' and Talwani's order granting the injunction was 'not only absurd but illogical and incorrect.' 'It is orders like these that underscore the audacity of the lower courts as well as the chaos within the judicial branch. We look forward to ultimate victory on the issue,' Fields said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on the states' lawsuit. Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, joined Bonta during his news conference. She welcomed the states' lawsuit, saying 'an attack this severe requires a multi-pronged response with both short and long term strategies.' Hicks said it's particularly important that California is helping to fight back, given the huge stakes for the state. 'California is the most impacted state across the country because of the volume of patients that we have, but also because of the amount of Medicaid that our state takes,' she said. 'It speaks to our values. And this defund provision is certainly [an] attack on values — most heavily on California.' Bonta is leading the lawsuit along with the attorneys general of Connecticut and New York. Joining them are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Bonta noted the lawsuit is the 36th his office has filed against the Trump administration in the last 27 weeks.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Trump's Medicaid cuts to Planned Parenthood blocked
That provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by the Republican-led Congress denied certain tax-exempt organizations and their affiliates from receiving Medicaid funds if they continue to provide abortions. More: Donald Trump's megabill could mean closure for a third of Planned Parenthood clinics The U.S. Department of Justice argued that "the bill stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion" and urged Talwani not to let Planned Parenthood and its members "supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences." Talwani, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the law's text and structure made clear that it was crafted to cover every member of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the parent organization, even if they were not named. That specificity likely transformed the provision at issue into an unconstitutional "bill of attainder," an act of Congress that wrongly seeks to inflict punishment without a trial, the judge said. More: Supreme Court sides with South Carolina in effort to cut Planned Parenthood funding "Plaintiffs are likely to establish that Congress singled them out with punitive intent," Talwani wrote. She said the law also violated Planned Parenthood members' equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment and burdened the right of some who do not provide abortions to associate with their parent organization in likely violation of the First Amendment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The judge last week had issued a partial injunction that only covered some Planned Parenthood members. Because an earlier temporary restraining order was expiring, Planned Parenthood said many health centers were forced to stop billing for Medicaid services ahead of Monday's ruling. Planned Parenthood has said the law would have "catastrophic" consequences for its nearly 600 health centers, putting nearly 200 of them in 24 states at risk of closure. "We will keep fighting this cruel law so that everyone can get birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other critical health care, no matter their insurance," Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood Federation of America's president, said in a statement.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Donald Trump's cuts to Planned Parenthood get blocked
District Judge Indira Talwani issued a preliminary injunction, saying Trump's tax and spending law illegally targeted Planned Parenthood's health centers. BOSTON − A federal judge blocked enforcement of a provision in President Donald Trump's recently enacted tax and spending bill that would deprive Planned Parenthood and its members of Medicaid funding, saying it is likely unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a preliminary injunction on July 28 after finding the law likely violated the Constitution by targeting Planned Parenthood's health centers specifically for punishment for providing abortions. That provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by the Republican-led Congress denied certain tax-exempt organizations and their affiliates from receiving Medicaid funds if they continue to provide abortions. More: Donald Trump's megabill could mean closure for a third of Planned Parenthood clinics The U.S. Department of Justice argued that "the bill stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion" and urged Talwani not to let Planned Parenthood and its members "supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences." Talwani, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the law's text and structure made clear that it was crafted to cover every member of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the parent organization, even if they were not named. That specificity likely transformed the provision at issue into an unconstitutional "bill of attainder," an act of Congress that wrongly seeks to inflict punishment without a trial, the judge said. More: Supreme Court sides with South Carolina in effort to cut Planned Parenthood funding "Plaintiffs are likely to establish that Congress singled them out with punitive intent," Talwani wrote. She said the law also violated Planned Parenthood members' equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment and burdened the right of some who do not provide abortions to associate with their parent organization in likely violation of the First Amendment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The judge last week had issued a partial injunction that only covered some Planned Parenthood members. Because an earlier temporary restraining order was expiring, Planned Parenthood said many health centers were forced to stop billing for Medicaid services ahead of Monday's ruling. Planned Parenthood has said the law would have "catastrophic" consequences for its nearly 600 health centers, putting nearly 200 of them in 24 states at risk of closure. "We will keep fighting this cruel law so that everyone can get birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other critical health care, no matter their insurance," Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood Federation of America's president, said in a statement.
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Planned Parenthood wins partial victory in legal battle with Trump admin over defunding efforts
BOSTON — Planned Parenthood won a partial victory Monday in a legal fight with President Donald Trump's administration over efforts to defund the organization in his signature tax legislation. A provision in that bill ends Medicaid payments for one year to abortion providers that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023, even to those like Planned Parenthood that also offer things like contraception, pregnancy tests and STD testing. But U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston granted a preliminary injunction Monday that, for now, blocks the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood member organizations that either don't provide abortion care or didn't meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year. Advertisement 5 Planned Parenthood has won a partial victory Monday in a legal fight with the Trump's administration's efforts to cut funding. Getty Images 5 Protestors holding a 'I fight for Planned Parenthood' banner in front of the Supreme Court. REUTERS It wasn't immediately clear how many Planned Parenthood organizations and clinics would continue to get Medicaid reimbursements under that decision and how many might not. Planned Parenthood said in a statement after the injunction that it's thankful the court recognized 'the harm' caused by the bill. Advertisement But it said it's disappointed that some of its members will lose this funding, 'risking 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 statement 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. Advertisement Planned Parenthood argued that allowing the provision to take effect would have devastating consequences nationwide, including increased rates of undiagnosed and untreated sexually transmitted diseases and cancer. 5 U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani granted a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood member organizations. Getty Images '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,' they wrote. 'This statute is unconstitutional and will inflict irreparable harm on Planned Parenthood Members and their patients.' Lawyers for the government argued in court documents that the bill 'stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion.' Advertisement 'All three democratically elected components of the Federal Government collaborated to enact that provision consistent with their electoral mandates from the American people as to how they want their hard-earned taxpayer dollars spent,' the government wrote in its opposition to the motion. 5 Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit earlier this month against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Getty Images 5 It wasn't immediately clear how many Planned Parenthood organizations and clinics would continue to get Medicaid reimbursements under that decision and how many might not. Getty Images The government added that the plaintiffs 'now want this Court to reject that judgment and supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences. … That request is legally groundless.' Hours after the lawsuit was filed, Talwani issued a temporary restraining order that prevented the government from enforcing the cuts. That order had been set to expire Monday.
