A federal judge has handed a partial victory to Planned Parenthood in its fight against the Trump administration to maintain federal funding. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston extended a temporary block, keeping the government from stripping Medicaid funds from the nonprofit.
However, the judge’s order only applies to some Planned Parenthood locations.
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What’s at the root of the issue?
The order stems from a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood over a provision in President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” that imposes a one-year ban on Medicaid payments to health care nonprofits that provide abortions and received more than $800,000 in federal funding in 2023.
It’s already illegal for taxpayer money to be used for most abortions. Critics also argue the law cuts funding for other health services Planned Parenthood provides, like cancer screenings and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
Who does the order impact?
The judge’s temporary order only applies to Planned Parenthood members who do not provide abortions and get less than $800,000 a year in Medicaid reimbursements.
Planned Parenthood has said the funding cuts could force it to close about one-third of its facilities nationwide, effectively blocking non-abortion services for more than 1 million people in need of medical care.
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Between 2022 and 2023, abortions accounted for roughly 4% of the services Planned Parenthood provided.
“Instead of merely prohibiting Planned Parenthood Members that receive Medicaid funds from providing abortions, the statute prohibits them from affiliating with entities that do,” Talwani wrote in her ruling. “Moreover, the record is devoid of evidentiary support for Defendants’ suggestion that Planned Parenthood entities share funds that are ultimately used for abortions.”
She added, “Therefore, restricting funds based on affiliation with an abortion provider operates only to restrict the associational right of Members that do not provide abortion.”
The ruling still allows the Trump administration to enforce the provision against abortion providers other than Planned Parenthood. However, while Planned Parenthood is never mentioned in the judge’s temporary order by name, the nonprofit says it will be the most widely impacted.
What does Planned Parenthood say about the partial victory?
In a statement, Planned Parenthood said, “This isn’t over. While we’re grateful that the court recognized the harm caused by this law, we’re disappointed that not all members were granted the necessary relief today.”
The organization added, “Patients across the country should be able to go to their trusted Planned Parenthood provider for birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment. This is about patients and their right to get care — no matter their insurance.”
Not Planned Parenthood’s only fight
This is not Planned Parenthood’s only court battle against the Trump administration. There’s currently a lawsuit over cuts to a federal teen pregnancy prevention program. The organization argues the administration’s changes to the program, like changes to language about diversity and equity, were vague and could stop Planned Parenthood from providing services.
It’s also named in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), of which Planned Parenthood is a member, against the Department of Health and Human Services for withholding millions of dollars in Title X funding.
In notices about the withheld funds, the Trump administration pointed to “possible violations” of federal civil rights law and some of Trump’s executive orders –– including one prohibiting diversity, equity and inclusion programs and what it said was the “taxpayer subsidization of open borders.”
