Supreme Court Upholds State Power to Defund Planned Parenthood via Medicaid

In a significant decision handed down yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that states have the authority to block Planned Parenthood facilities from receiving Medicaid funding. The landmark ruling in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic delivers a notable victory to the pro-life movement and empowers states seeking to curtail funding to organizations that provide abortion services, even if the funds are not directly used for abortions.

Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. The Court found that Congress did not create a private right for individuals to sue states over the choice of Medicaid providers in this context. Gorsuch emphasized that for such private suits to proceed, the federal spending-power statute must “clear[ly]” and “unambiguous[ly]” confer an individual “right,” which was not the case here.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson penned a strong dissenting opinion, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Jackson argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1871 should prevent South Carolina from defunding Planned Parenthood, asserting that such actions allow states to “evade liability for violating the rights of its Medicaid recipients to choose their own doctors.” Justice Thomas also filed a concurring opinion, raising questions about the modern interpretation and expansive use of the Civil Rights Act’s Section 1983.

The case stemmed from South Carolina’s 2018 executive action, signed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, which aimed to remove Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid provider list. McMaster argued that any funding to Planned Parenthood, regardless of its direct use, indirectly supports abortion and conflicts with the state’s commitment to protecting unborn life. South Carolina highlighted its robust network of 140 federally qualified health clinics and pregnancy centers as alternatives for medical care.

Vicki Ringer, South Carolina director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, expressed deep concern over the ruling. She reiterated that the organization believes such defunding actions exacerbate a “reproductive health care crisis” and threaten access to vital services for patients. Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal organization, represented South Carolina, contending that states rightfully control which entities receive Medicaid funds.

This ruling reinforces states’ discretion over Medicaid provider networks, potentially setting a precedent for similar actions nationwide and intensifying the ongoing legal and political battles over reproductive healthcare funding.

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