A US appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with stripping Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood health centres in 22 states and Washington DC. The decision, issued on Tuesday by a three-judge panel of the Boston-based First US Circuit Court of Appeals, temporarily lifts an injunction previously granted by a district judge.
The injunction, issued by US District Judge Indira Talwani on 2 December, had blocked a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that bars Medicaid reimbursements to tax-exempt organisations providing family planning services if they perform abortions and received over $800,000 in Medicaid funds in the 2023 fiscal year. The appeals court panel, composed entirely of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, ruled that the Trump administration is likely to succeed in arguing that the law is not ambiguous and that Congress had the power to enact such changes.
Planned Parenthood has stated that the provision, which it says was specifically aimed at it, has already led to the closure of at least 20 of its health centres since the law was signed in July. The organisation warns that up to 200 centres could close, predominantly in blue states where abortion remains legal, potentially severely restricting access to the procedure. Advocates have described the measure as a 'back-door abortion ban'.
Federal law already prohibits using federal dollars to pay for abortions. Planned Parenthood uses Medicaid reimbursements to fund services such as STI tests, cancer screenings, and contraception. In 2024, the organisation provided over 1.5 million visits to Medicaid recipients. Experts warn that if these patients can no longer access Planned Parenthood, they may have no alternative providers.
Democratic attorneys general from California, Connecticut, and New York, who co-led the challenge, expressed disappointment at the ruling. A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he remains committed to 'ensuring vulnerable Californians can access the healthcare they need'. Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request for comment.
