The Supreme Court refused to hear a case that would’ve considered whether states can block Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
Officials in Louisiana and Kansas contended that providers don’t get the right to go to court if they are kicked out of Medicaid by individual states. By refusing to consider the case, the top court let stand previous federal appeals court rulings that allowed Planned Parenthood to contest laws in Louisiana and Kansas that would have stripped abortion providers of their Medicaid funds. These lower court rulings found that states would be in violation of federal law if they terminate Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. By refusing the case, the Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to conservative groups across states that seek the removal of abortion and women’s healthcare providers like Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. It would’ve taken only four justices to agree to take up the case, only three conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito – voted to hear it. Chief Justice John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh sided with the liberal justices, avoiding a major abortion rights fight.
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