- 34% of Planned Parenthood’s $2B revenue comes from government healthcare programs
- 25% of South Carolinians live in medically underserved areas
- Medicaid Act’s “free choice of provider” clause central to legal battle
- Ruling could impact 4.6M annual Medicaid patients at Planned Parenthood nationwide
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday that could determine whether states may exclude abortion providers from Medicaid networks, even when federal law guarantees patients’ right to choose their healthcare providers. At stake is South Carolina’s 2018 executive order blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortion services like cancer screenings and diabetes management.
Plaintiff Julie Edwards, a Medicaid recipient with type-1 diabetes, claims the state violated federal law by denying coverage for her Planned Parenthood treatments. “This isn’t about abortion – it’s about whether politicians can decide which doctors treat chronic illnesses,” argued Edwards’ legal team in court filings. South Carolina counters that redirecting Medicaid funds forces Planned Parenthood to “choose between abortion services and public funding.”
Healthcare analysts note three critical implications if the court sides with South Carolina: 1) 72% of federally qualified health centers already face staffing shortages 2) Minority women account for 63% of Planned Parenthood’s South Carolina Medicaid patients 3) 19 states have similar defunding legislation pending. The case comes as maternal mortality rates in the South Carolina’s rural counties remain 87% higher than national averages.
Legal experts highlight the Medicaid Act’s Section 1396a(a)(23), which guarantees beneficiaries may receive care from “any qualified provider.” However, the state argues this provision doesn’t create individual lawsuit rights. “Allowing endless provider lawsuits would bankrupt state Medicaid systems,” claimed South Carolina’s attorney during oral arguments.
Planned Parenthood clinics in Columbia and Charleston currently serve over 8,000 Medicaid patients annually, primarily offering contraceptive care (41%), STI testing (33%), and chronic disease management (19%). The organization warns that losing Medicaid reimbursements could force clinic closures, mirroring Texas’ 2013 defunding move that caused a 35% drop in contraceptive access.
A ruling favoring South Carolina could empower 14 states with trigger laws to immediately exclude abortion-affiliated providers from Medicaid networks. However, reproductive rights advocates warn this sets dangerous precedent: “Tomorrow it could be hospitals that provide gender-affirming care or addiction treatment,” cautioned ACLU health policy director Mara Gordon.