Planned Parenthood clinics across the United States will continue to receive Medicaid reimbursements after a federal judge in Massachusetts blocked a provision in a Trump-backed budget law that aimed to strip funding from reproductive health providers. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued the injunction on Monday, ruling that the law would cause “adverse health consequences” for patients and was likely designed to target Planned Parenthood specifically.
The Trump administration had inserted a one-year ban into its latest domestic policy and budget bill, barring states from sending Medicaid payments to nonprofits that provide abortion services and receive more than $800,000 annually in Medicaid reimbursements. While the law did not mention Planned Parenthood by name, Talwani found that it clearly sought to disqualify the organization from participation in Medicaid programs. “Imposing that choice kneecaps the entire organization,” she wrote.
Talwani initially placed a temporary restraining order on the provision earlier in the month, but Monday’s ruling replaced it with a broader injunction applying nationwide. She emphasized that the policy would harm patients, disrupt care, and reduce access to essential health services, stating, “Patients are likely to suffer adverse health consequences where care is disrupted or unavailable.”
The judge’s ruling cited data from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicating that approximately 11% of female Medicaid beneficiaries accessed services at Planned Parenthood clinics in 2021. “In particular, restricting members’ ability to provide healthcare services threatens an increase in unintended pregnancies and attendant complications because of reduced access to effective contraceptives, and an increase in undiagnosed and untreated STIs,” Talwani wrote.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its member organizations in Massachusetts and Utah filed the lawsuit against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier this month. The organization warned that if the funding cuts were enforced, nearly 200 health centers in 24 states would face closure, affecting care for over 1 million patients.
“We’re suing the Trump administration over this targeted attack on Planned Parenthood health centers and the patients who rely on them for care,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “This case is about making sure that patients who use Medicaid as their insurance to get birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment can continue to do so at their local Planned Parenthood health center, and we will make that clear in court.”
The budget provision was part of legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump earlier this month. It took effect on July 4 and instructed the federal government to suspend Medicaid reimbursements for one year to any abortion provider receiving more than $800,000 in 2023. Though federal law already prohibits public funds from being used for abortion care, Talwani noted the law was an attempt to force clinics to stop providing abortions in order to remain eligible for Medicaid funding.
Dominique Lee, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, praised the court’s decision. “At a time when reproductive healthcare access is under constant attack, this decision is a powerful reminder that patients, not politics, should guide healthcare,” she said. “In Massachusetts and beyond, we will keep fighting to ensure everyone can turn to the provider they trust, no matter their insurance or ZIP code.”
The Department of Health and Human Services has appealed Talwani’s restraining order, but the new injunction will remain in place unless overturned by an appeals court. A spokesperson for the department had previously defended the provision. “States should not be forced to fund organizations that have chosen political advocacy over patient care,” said Andrew Nixon, communications director for the department. He added that doing so “undermines state flexibility” and raises “concerns about accountability.”
In her ruling, Talwani clarified that the court 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.” Rather, she emphasized that the decision prevents the government from excluding organizations like Planned Parenthood from Medicaid programs where they have shown a likelihood of success in their legal challenge.
Planned Parenthood operates nearly 600 health centers in 48 states. The organization estimates that almost half of its patients rely on Medicaid for services including contraception, pregnancy tests, STD testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other preventive care.
“As this case continues, patients across the country can still go to their trusted Planned Parenthood provider for care using Medicaid,” said Alexis McGill Johnson. “We will keep fighting this cruel law so that everyone can get birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other critical healthcare, no matter their insurance.”
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called the ruling “a big win,” while Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights advocates warned that the fight is far from over. If the injunction is overturned, millions of Medicaid recipients could lose access to critical health services.
For now, Judge Talwani’s decision stands as a significant legal victory for Planned Parenthood and the patients it serves, underscoring the continuing battle over reproductive rights and healthcare access under an administration that has repeatedly attempted to restrict both.
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