A federal appeals court ruled Friday that a provision in One Big Beautiful Bill Act allowing cuts to Medicaid funding for certain Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates can remain in effect, marking a significant legal victory for the administration of Donald Trump. The decision came from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which overturned an earlier preliminary injunction issued by Indira Talwani. Talwani had previously determined that the law likely violated constitutional protections because it appeared to single out Planned Parenthood health centers for financial penalties.
The disputed measure blocks Medicaid funding for nonprofit family planning providers that perform abortions and received more than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements during fiscal year 2023. The policy became part of a broader domestic spending package passed by Congress earlier this year. In July, Talwani argued that the provision could amount to a bill of attainder, a type of legislative punishment prohibited by the Constitution because it targets specific groups without a judicial trial. She also said the measure could interfere with First Amendment protections by affecting affiliates that do not directly provide abortion services.
However, writing for the three-judge appellate panel, Gustavo Gelpí rejected that interpretation. He stated that the law does not impose punishment in the historical constitutional sense, but instead reflects Congress’s authority to decide how federal funds are distributed. According to the ruling, organizations affected by the law face a clear choice: continue abortion services without Medicaid support or maintain federal funding by ending those services. Alexis McGill Johnson criticized the ruling, warning that it could push more health centers toward closure and reduce access to care for low-income patients. Planned Parenthood says at least 20 of its health centers have already closed since the law was signed, while additional legal challenges from Democratic-led states remain under review in federal court. ⚖️🇺🇸
