In conclusion
According to California’s lawsuit, states must violate Planned Parenthood’s First Amendment rights in order to implement Trump’s hallmark tax package, which is unconstitutionally ambiguous.
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A lawsuit filed today by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with 22 other states and the District of Columbia, claims that the Trump administration overreached itself and breached constitutional safeguards in its attempt to defund Planned Parenthood.
This is Bonta’s 36th lawsuit against the Trump administration, and it was filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
It argues that states must violate Planned Parenthood’s First Amendment rights and that Trump’s centerpiece tax package, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed earlier this month, is unconstitutionally vague.
The law, which took effect on July 4, forbids Medicaid from paying for any medical services rendered at sizable nonprofit clinics that specialize in abortions.
According to Bonta, we will not stand by and watch as Congress and this administration attempt to undo our accomplishments, stifle their criticism, and disregard the rule of law.
Additionally, according to the complaint, the statute is in violation of federal regulations that mandate the government provide states with explicit notice of significant Medicaid funding limitations. Additionally, it contends that the statute forces states to implement clauses that infringe upon Planned Parenthood’s constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech and assembly.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by HHS, and at the time of publication, the agency had not submitted a legal response.
Five California clinics have closed
In places where abortion is permitted, the law’s opponents have called it a backdoor abortion restriction that specifically targets Planned Parenthood. California has already seen the closure of five Planned Parenthood clinics, citing the loss of $100 million in Medicaid funding.
Despite the fact that abortion is already illegal under federal law, with very few exceptions, nearly 80% of California’s Planned Parenthood clients are covered by Medicaid, also known as Medi-Cal, the federal health insurance program for the underprivileged and disabled.
To be clear, according to Bonta, this does not even include federal support for abortions.
The complaint claims that Congress has never before imposed Medicaid expenditure caps based on non-Medicaid health care.
The law was previously challenged in a separate case by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. A decision from last week that had essentially reduced Medicaid funding for all but a few Planned Parenthood programs around the country was overturned by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston on Monday.
According to Andrew Adams, chief of staff for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, which manages 30 health clinics throughout Northern and Central California as well as Nevada, five Planned Parenthood locations in California will continue to close in spite of the recent verdict. Adams stated that although the network must maintain its financial viability, the court order was a significant win in the struggle to protect access to reproductive health care.
While the lawsuit is still pending, Monday’s order restores financing for clinics in California. Additionally, Bonta is requesting that the court stop the statute from being implemented. According to Bonta, the state should have taken separate legal action because the statute harms the state’s Medicaid program, and the complaints question many constitutional safeguards.
We strongly disagree
We strongly disagree with the court’s judgment, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement, restating a point made last week that states shouldn’t be required to fund organizations that prioritize political activism over patient care.
States and the federal government work together to administer Medicaid, with each typically covering half of the costs of medical care.
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America claims in its complaint that the statute violates its First Amendment rights by refusing to provide funding. Additionally, it claims that the tax bill is unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.
As of Tuesday morning, HHS had not appealed the decision.
“Planned Parenthood Mar Monte will continue to fight any attempt to restrict access to abortion and reproductive health care,” Adams wrote in an email to CalMatters.
Adams stated that while we will not give up, we must have the means to wage this battle and maintain as many patient care options as feasible.
According to Talwani’s order, patient treatment disruptions are likely to have a negative impact on health, increasing the number of unwanted births, pregnancy problems, undiscovered malignancies, and STDs.
More than simply reproductive health will suffer if access to [Planned Parenthood] healthcare clinics is restricted; according to Talwani, [Planned Parenthood clinics] frequently provide patients with basic care.
Additionally, Talwani stated that Planned Parenthood has a strong chance of winning the case and that the order does not mandate that the federal government cover the cost of abortions.
The group claims that less than 10% of the services offered by California Planned Parenthood are abortions. Primary care, birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and cancer screenings account for the majority of patient visits.
Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Madera, San Mateo, and South San Francisco are the locations of the clinics that closed last week. According to Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, they collectively provided care for 22,000 patients. Due to government budget cuts, the organization also discontinued prenatal care, behavioral health, and primary care services. According to a news release, the Mar Monte clinics will lose about $100 million as a result of such cuts.
Approximately $300 million in Medicaid reimbursements will be lost as a result of Trump’s tax plan, according to leaders for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, which represents over 100 clinics across the state, including the Mar Monte clinics.
The Trump administration’s economic penalties have put many Californians’ access to essential health care services in jeopardy, according to Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. According to Hicks, the company is still dedicated to providing patient care.
Planned Parenthood won’t disappear without a fight. “We are using every weapon at our disposal to fight back,” Hicks stated.
The California Health treatment Foundation (CHCF), which strives to guarantee that people have access to the treatment they require at a cost they can afford, is supporting this initiative. Go to www.chcf.org to find out more.
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