Reproductive rights advocates are reeling from Thursday’s Supreme Court docket ruling in favor of South Carolina in a authorized case to dam Medicaid funding for Deliberate Parenthood, which they worry will give different states the inexperienced mild to do the identical.
“Today’s decision is a grave injustice that strikes at the very bedrock of American freedom and promises to send South Carolina deeper into a health care crises,” mentioned Paige Johnson, president and CEO of Deliberate Parenthood South Atlantic.
“Twice, justices of this courtroom denied to even hear this case as a result of Gov. McMaster’s intent is evident: weaponize anti-abortion sentiment to deprive communities with low incomes to primary well being care,” she continued, mentioning South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R).
The case was not about abortion however about whether or not Medicaid beneficiaries have the correct to decide on their most popular well being supplier and sue if they can’t.
Underneath the regulation, anybody who receives medical insurance by way of Medicaid can obtain care from any certified and prepared supplier.
Public well being funds don’t sometimes pay for abortion care. However the ruling implies that Medicaid sufferers in South Carolina will not be capable to use their medical insurance to pay for contraception, most cancers screenings, STI testing and therapy, and different preventative well being care supplied at Deliberate Parenthood clinics.
Whereas the ruling solely applies in South Carolina, reproductive rights teams consider elected officers in different states will use the case as a template to limit well being care entry.
Missouri, Arkansas and Texas have already blocked Deliberate Parenthood from accepting Medicaid sufferers, and advocates count on different Republican-led states to observe swimsuit.
“As extremists in every branch of our government are targeting Planned Parenthood and attempting to strip millions of Americans of the care their health centers provide, this is nothing more than a politically-motivated green light to anti-abortion politicians,” Reproductive Freedom Caucus co-chairs Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) mentioned in an announcement.
The Supreme Court docket resolution comes as Deliberate Parenthood faces shedding federal funding within the Republicans’ reconciliation invoice. A minimum of 200 Deliberate Parenthood clinics will probably be susceptible to closing if the invoice passes as is within the Senate, in response to the group.
Anthony Wright, the chief director of the buyer well being advocacy group Households USA, agreed that the transfer will probably function a inexperienced mild for different states to attempt to impose related restrictions.
“The Court has now given a green light to states to impose even more harmful barriers to care,” he mentioned in an announcement. “This ruling will make it more difficult for people to access the care that they need, allowing politicians and courts to insert themselves into personal health care decisions.”
The Heart for Reproductive Rights mentioned in an announcement it believes the ruling opens the door for different Medicaid abuses by state officers who wish to revoke funding to certified clinics for different ideological causes, like if they supply LGBTQ-specific well being care or serve immigrant communities.
The middle burdened the ruling will instantly affect low-income Individuals.
Roughly 72 million low-income Individuals obtain medical insurance by way of Medicaid, in response to the latest enrollment numbers.
And greater than 1.3 million South Carolinians — or 20 % of the state — are enrolled in this system, in response to the well being coverage nonprofit KFF.
“Today’s decision favors extremists who’d rather let someone die of cancer than let them get a cancer screening at a Planned Parenthood,” mentioned Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Heart for Reproductive Rights. “The Supreme Court overrode what the Medicaid law requires and every patient wants: the ability to choose their trusted health care provider.”
Northup added that the ruling will put “fuel on the fire” on Republican lawmakers’ multiyear effort to disclaim Medicaid sufferers entry to non-abortion companies at Deliberate Parenthood.
Advocates highlighted that the ruling may even disproportionately affect communities of shade within the state — and doubtlessly throughout the nation. Out of the roughly 72 million Individuals on Medicaid greater than half are folks of shade, with Black and Hispanic Individuals disproportionately enrolled in this system.
“Right this moment’s dangerous resolution from the Supreme Court docket is a direct assault Black girls, ladies and gender-expansive individuals who depend on Deliberate Parenthood for life-saving well being care companies, mentioned Regina Davis Moss, president of In Our Personal Voice, a reproductive rights nonprofit that highlights Black well being experiences.
“This case was never about abortion, and now this ruling will have devastating consequences for the millions of Americans who will lose access to reproductive health care.”
Moss added that Medicaid pays for nearly two-thirds of births amongst Black moms and insures greater than half of Black ladies within the U.S.
In the meantime, some anti-abortion teams lauded the courtroom’s resolution, with the president of Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, calling it a serious step towards ending Deliberate Parenthood’s “taxpayer-funded gravy train.”
“By rejecting Planned Parenthood’s lawfare, the Court not only saves countless unborn babies from a violent death and their mothers from dangerously shoddy ‘care,’ it also protects Medicaid from exposure to thousands of lawsuits from unqualified providers that would jeopardize the entire program,” mentioned Katie Daniel, director of authorized affairs at Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America.
