Judge Grants Planned Parenthood’s Request to Block Republicans’ Defunding Effort

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood.

In a July 21 order, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said the block was “granted in part and otherwise remains under advisement.”

“[I]n light of the First Amendment injury and harm to patient care that will occur absent an injunction, the public interest does not favor staying relief,” Talwani wrote.

The request was granted while Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit against the government proceeds.

The judge had previously placed a temporary hold on the defunding effort, and her latest order represented a more stable and long-lasting block.

Her order came after a hearing on July 18 in Boston, where attorneys for the Justice Department and Planned Parenthood argued over the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The abortion provider argued that it was unlawfully targeted by the legislation, which would remove its federal funding.

A provision of the law, which was signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, imposes a one-year ban on Medicaid payments to health care nonprofits that provide abortion, and that took in more that $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in fiscal year 2023.

Medicaid is a government program that offers health insurance to low-income Americans, funded by federal and state governments.

Talwani granted a preliminary injunction that, for now, blocks the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood member organizations that did not meet the threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in one year, or do not provide abortion care.

Planned Parenthood said in a statement published on Monday that it appeared the injunction applies to some, but not all of its members.

In the joint statement, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah 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 court has not yet ruled on whether it will grant preliminary injunctive relief to other members. We remain hopeful that the court will grant this relief. There will be nothing short of a public health crisis if Planned Parenthood members are allowed to be ‘defunded,’” the statement added.

The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Planned Parenthood Federation of America on behalf of its 47 member organizations against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The law does not mention Planned Parenthood by name, but the organization argued that its wording singles out its network of providers.

The complaint stated that the defunding provision in the law “specifically targets Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its member health care providers in order to punish them for lawful activity, namely advocating for and providing legal abortion access wholly outside the Medicaid program and without using any federal funds.”

Planned Parenthood said that the provision is unconstitutional and if allowed to take effect, would have nationwide impact, including increased rates of undiagnosed and untreated cancer and sexually transmitted infections.

Lawyers for the government argued that the law “stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion.”

The government wrote in opposition to the motion that “democratically elected components of the Federal Government collaborated to enact that provision consistent with their electoral mandates from the American people as to how they want their hard-earned taxpayer dollars spent.”

Republicans have sought for some time to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, arguing that taxpayers’ money should not go to any organization that provides abortions.

An original version of the bill would have blocked Medicaid funding for 10 years, but this was later reduced to one year.

The Department of Health and Human Services told The Epoch Times it does not comment on litigation.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

The Associated Press and Matthew Vadum contributed to this report.