Supreme Court Allows States To Defund Planned Parenthood

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Carolina’s decision to stop covering Planned Parenthood’s services in its Medicaid program. The ruling from the court’s conservative supermajority further cements its hostility to abortion rights.

The Medina v. Planned Parenthood case was the result of a 2018 executive order by South Carolina’s governor, Henry McMaster (R). His order blocked abortion-providing clinics from receiving support from Medicaid, a federal government program that provides health coverage to millions of low-income Americans.

Nearly half of all patients at Planned Parenthood are supported by Medicaid.

Federal law already forbids Medicaid from paying for abortions, with very few exceptions, but states like South Carolina and Texas have effectively barred any of Planned Parenthood’s services, most of which have nothing to do with abortions, from being covered.

From cancer screenings, contraceptive services, sexually transmitted disease treatment and other reproductive health care services once provided by Planned Parenthood, residents living in conservative states will be limited in their options for Medicaid coverage.

The Supreme Court’s decision to rule in favor of South Carolina was successful, thanks to the supermajority group of Republican judges that comprised the majority of the winning vote.

In a 6-3 majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote on behalf of his colleagues.

“After all, the decision whether to let private plaintiffs enforce a new statutory right poses delicate questions of public policy,” he wrote. “Treaties may benefit citizens but generally do not confer individually enforceable rights against sovereigns.”

Removing the cost-saving safety net of Medicaid for Planned Parenthood services will effectively defund the nonprofit organization in all red states.

The think-tank Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 mentions the organization directly. It seeks to end all taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion-providing clinics. The taxes would then be redirected to other health centers that support their message of “[promoting] life, women’s health and the family.”