Administration prohibited from withholding funds allocated to Planned Parenthood under Trump's rule
In a significant ruling, a federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked the enforcement of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Law’s ban on federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood affiliates [1][2][3]. This decision requires the government to continue funding Planned Parenthood clinics through Medicaid.
The ruling effectively halts the ban on Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood clinics for now. The 2025 Budget Reconciliation Law prohibits federal Medicaid payments for one year to nonprofit family planning clinics that both provide abortion services and received over $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023, with Planned Parenthood being explicitly targeted under this provision [1][2].
Initially, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) was granted allowing Planned Parenthood to continue receiving Medicaid payments. On July 21, 2025, just before the TRO expired, a federal district court issued a partial preliminary injunction that blocked the enforcement of the ban for some Planned Parenthood members who do not provide abortion services or do not meet the Medicaid revenue threshold [1].
The court is still reviewing Planned Parenthood’s broader injunction request for other affiliates that meet the ban’s criteria. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s Health and Human Services is appealing the partial injunction to the First Circuit Court of Appeals [1].
The Medicaid program finances about 90% of family planning services paid to Planned Parenthood clinics, which serve a significant portion of Medicaid beneficiaries. Losing this funding could jeopardize access to reproductive health care in many communities, especially rural and underserved ones [2].
Outside a health care clinic in Los Angeles, California, a Planned Parenthood sign was displayed on May 16, 2023, as photographed by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images. This photo serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing legal battle surrounding Planned Parenthood's funding.
The ruling was made by a judge on Monday, although the exact date and details of the ruling have not been disclosed. The ruling concerns Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood and was reported by Katia Riddle.
References:
[1] Riddle, K. (2025, July 21). Federal judge blocks enforcement of Medicaid defunding for Planned Parenthood. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/health/planned-parenthood-medicaid-funding-ruling/index.html
[2] Associated Press (2025, July 21). Federal judge blocks Trump administration from cutting Planned Parenthood funding. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/us/planned-parenthood-medicaid-funding.html
[3] O'Donnell, L. (2025, July 21). Judge blocks Trump administration from cutting Planned Parenthood funding. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/judge-blocks-trump-administration-cutting-planned-parenthood-funding-n1262626
- The federal judge's ruling requires the government to continue funding Planned Parenthood clinics, thus ensuring the continuity of essential health-and-wellness services, including women's health, for a significant portion of Medicaid beneficiaries.
- The appeal filed by the Trump administration's Health and Human Services seeks to overturn the court's decision, potentially jeopardizing the assets of Planned Parenthood affiliates, particularly those providing abortion services and exceeding the Medicaid revenue threshold.
