Planned Parenthood sues to block Trump administration from halting Medicaid funding

Planned Parenthood sued Monday to stop the Trump administration from blocking its Medicaid funding under the budget reconciliation act, arguing that the provision violates the U.S. Constitution by singling out the nation’s largest abortion provider.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which has 47 members, and its affiliates in Massachusetts and Utah argued that the defunding section represents a bill of attainder, referring to a legislative act that singles out and punishes a specific party without a judicial finding.

“The clear purpose of the Defund Provision is to categorically prohibit health centers associated with Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements,” said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Even though the measure does not mention Planned Parenthood by name, “it defines ‘prohibited entity’ specifically to target Planned Parenthood,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit, which names Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, was filed three days after President Trump signed the “big, beautiful bill” in a pre-Independence Day ceremony at the White House.

The lawsuit asked the court for a temporary injunction to prevent the defunding provision from taking effect, saying the results would be “catastrophic” for its nearly 600 health centers serving about 2 million patients per year.

“More than 50% of Planned Parenthood Member patients rely on Medicaid to access essential health services,” the motion reads. “In federal fiscal year 2023, more than one-third of Members’ total aggregate revenue was from Medicaid reimbursement for health care services the Members provided.”