New Jersey joins lawsuit challenging federal block on Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Tuesday that the state is joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania in a lawsuit challenging a recent federal law provision that blocks Medicaid funding for services provided at Planned Parenthood health centers.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks to block implementation of a clause in the recently enacted budget reconciliation law—referred to by federal officials as the “Big Beautiful Bill”—that prohibits Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood for services such as cancer screenings, STI testing, birth control, and wellness exams.
New Jersey is home to 20 Planned Parenthood health centers, which serve tens of thousands of low-income residents through NJ FamilyCare, the state’s Medicaid-funded program. Advocates warn that limiting access to these clinics could lead to increased health risks and higher public health costs.
“New Jerseyans rely on Planned Parenthood health centers for essential preventive health care,” Platkin said. “This provision could make those services significantly harder to access for many of our most vulnerable residents.”
Supporters of the lawsuit argue that the provision violates the U.S. Constitution, including the Equal Protection Clause and Spending Clause, and would cause unnecessary disruption in preventative health care access nationwide. Last week, a federal district court granted a preliminary injunction against the provision in a separate case filed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
While proponents of the federal measure say it ensures taxpayer funds are not used to support certain organizations, opponents contend that the restriction would increase public health risks and strain other health care providers that lack the capacity to absorb displaced patients.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, many areas currently served by Planned Parenthood would face significant gaps in access if the funding is blocked. Nationwide, the restriction could impact more than 1.1 million people who rely on the clinics annually.
New Jersey joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia in the legal challenge, along with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
