The U.S. Supreme Court allowed Thursday that states can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, dealing a significant blow to the nation’s largest abortion provider.
The 6-3 decision, split along ideological lines, affirms that states have the authority to decide whether taxpayer dollars should go to organizations like Planned Parenthood—even when they claim to provide non-abortion services. The ruling stems from a challenge in South Carolina but could set the stage for similar action across the country.
At the center of the case was whether Medicaid recipients have the legal standing to sue when states exclude certain providers from the program.
In this instance, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican, moved to block state Medicaid funds from flowing to Planned Parenthood in 2018. His decision was challenged by a patient who argued she should be able to choose her own provider under Medicaid law.
Governor McMaster, backed by President Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress, argued that taxpayer dollars should not subsidize any organization affiliated with abortion—even if those dollars are technically earmarked for other services.
His position reflects a broader national effort by Republicans to defund Planned Parenthood, which receives hundreds of millions in