Attorney General Josh Kaul on Tuesday joined a coalition in suing the Trump administration over a funding provision that blocks federal Medicaid funding for health care services at Planned Parenthood, including cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and wellness exams.
This “Defund Provision” was recently adopted as part of the federal budget reconciliation law, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The coalition asked the court to block the Trump administration from implementing the Defund Provision, which would disrupt care and increase health care costs if allowed to stand. The coalition argued that the provision is unlawful, and that states should not be compelled into executing the measure, which it deemed unconstitutional.
The coalition also argued that the Defund Provision is impermissibly ambiguous and violates Congress’ Spending Clause power. A copy of the complaint is available here.
Defunding Planned Parenthood threatens at least 200 health centers nationwide, affecting care for more than 1.1 million people, many of whom may not be able to receive care elsewhere.
Recent findings from the Guttmacher Institute show that alternative health care centers lack the capacity to absorb the number of patients who currently rely on Planned Parenthood for health care.
