Supreme Court Allows South Carolina to Cut Medicaid Funds to Planned Parenthood

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that South Carolina can deny Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood clinics. This ruling came down on a Thursday, and it hinged on a 6-3 vote regarding the 1965 Medicaid Act, which essentially concluded that patients can’t sue states for their decisions about Medicaid funding and provider eligibility.

The court’s ruling supports the state’s actions to terminate funding for Planned Parenthood. Justice Neil Gorsuch, speaking for the majority, highlighted that South Carolina has a system in place that allows providers to challenge their exclusion from Medicaid. He mentioned that allowing private lawsuits could potentially distract states from their social services responsibilities, suggesting that such policy decisions are ultimately up to Congress.

Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina has been working to restrict public health funding from reaching Planned Parenthood. In contrast, a local resident and patient asserted that this move infringes on her rights under Medicaid law. The crux of the matter revolves around the 1965 Medicaid Act’s guarantee of a “free choice of provider,” raising questions about whether Planned Parenthood qualifies as such and whether patients can rightfully sue to access their desired providers.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic contends that the case transcends the issue of abortion, framing it instead as a matter of ensuring access to essential healthcare services.