Overview

• The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision lets states exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid reimbursements, overturning lower courts that had protected funding for nonabortion services.
• South Carolina’s challenge stemmed from a 2018 executive order by Governor Henry McMaster barring Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.
• Planned Parenthood noted that about half of its patients depend on Medicaid for services such as contraception, cancer screenings and basic health care.
• In dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson called the ruling a civil rights violation that strips Medicaid beneficiaries of their right to choose health providers.
• Experts warn the decision could encourage other states to follow South Carolina’s lead, potentially limiting health services for millions of low-income Americans.