New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit to stop the federal government from cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, calling the move unconstitutional and a direct attack on health care access for millions.
James joined 21 attorneys general and the state of Pennsylvania in suing to block a provision in the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Signed into law on July 4, the law prohibits Medicaid funding from going to nonprofit clinics that receive a certain level of Medicaid support and provide abortions—a standard that primarily affects Planned Parenthood.
“The federal government is once again playing politics with our health care system, with devastating consequences,” said James. “This administration’s shameful and illegal targeting of Planned Parenthood will make it harder for millions of people to get the health care they need.”
The lawsuit argues that the provision is unconstitutional, retaliatory, and particularly harmful to low-income and underserved communities. In New York alone, 89,000 Medicaid enrollees received care at Planned Parenthood clinics in 2023. Those services included STI testing, cancer screenings, and contraceptive care.
The coalition asserts that the law violates the First Amendment by punishing Planned Parenthood for its advocacy, the Spending Clause by coercing states without clear guidance, and the Constitution’s ban on bills of attainder by targeting a specific group without due process.
The attorneys general are asking the court to declare the provision unconstitutional and to block its enforcement.
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