Landmark Ruling Curtails Medicaid Patient Rights
In a pivotal 6-3 decision on June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with South Carolina in a case that significantly limits Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The Court ruled that Medicaid recipients do not have the legal right to sue the government over their choice of medical providers, marking a major setback for the abortion provider and its supporters nationwide.
The ruling centered on the interpretation of federal law, with the majority concluding that it does not grant individuals the authority to bring such claims. Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, emphasized that Congress has not explicitly allowed private suits against the government in this context. “That is not the law we have,” he stated.
Impact on Planned Parenthood and Medicaid Funding
South Carolina’s effort to defund Planned Parenthood follows the state’s enforcement of a strict six-week abortion ban after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Only two Planned Parenthood clinics remain operational in the state, providing services beyond abortion such as contraception, cancer screenings, and pregnancy testing.
Conservatives argue that Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood indirectly support its abortion services, despite the Hyde Amendment’s prohibition of federal funds being used for abortion procedures. This decision effectively blocks Medicaid funding streams for the organization, complicating its ability to provide healthcare to low-income patients.
Dissent Warns of Erosion of Civil Rights Protections
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, representing the dissenting justices, strongly criticized the ruling as part of a broader effort to weaken protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1871. This historic law was intended to empower individuals to hold governments accountable when their rights are violated.
Jackson argued, “South Carolina asks us to hollow out that provision so that the state can evade liability for violating the rights of its Medicaid recipients to choose their own doctors.” She opposed the majority’s decision, warning that it undermines fundamental civil rights protections.
Patient’s Fight and Broader National Implications
The case began when Medicaid-eligible patient Julie Edwards joined Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit, asserting her right under civil rights laws to select her healthcare provider. Although she won in a lower court, the Supreme Court’s ruling reversed that outcome.
This decision is likely to influence similar Medicaid funding battles nationwide, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding reproductive health access and government funding amid a shifting legal and political landscape.
