BREAKING NEWS
A federal judge on Monday issued a preliminary injunction blocking a provision in the GOP budget reconciliation law that would have made Planned Parenthood ineligible for Medicaid reimbursements for one year. This ruling expands on a previous injunction that applied only to some clinics, now protecting all Planned Parenthood facilities nationwide.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani emphasized that while Congress has broad authority over budget allocations, it cannot discriminate against specific groups to achieve fiscal goals. The contested provision specifically excludes Planned Parenthood members and two other entities from Medicaid participation, effectively penalizing them based on their association. The law prevents organizations that provide abortions and meet certain Medicaid reimbursement thresholds from receiving federal funds for non-abortive services like contraception and STI testing. The plaintiffs argue this exclusion violates their First Amendment rights and amounts to an unconstitutional bill of attainder. Planned Parenthood’s CEO affirmed the organization’s commitment to continue providing essential health services for Medicaid patients while challenging the law.