AG Kaul Sues Trump Administration for Blocking Medicaid Funding to Planned Parenthood

MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul today joined a coalition in suing the Trump administration over a funding provision that blocks federal Medicaid funding for essential healthcare services at Planned Parenthood, including cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and wellness exams. This “Defund Provision” was recently adopted as part of the federal budget reconciliation law, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

The coalition asks the court to block the Trump administration from implementing the Defund Provision which would disrupt care and increase healthcare costs, if allowed to stand. The coalition argues that the provision is unlawful, and that states should not be compelled into executing this unconstitutional measure.

“This horrendous policy is not only an attack on Planned Parenthood. It’s also an attack on access to health care,” said AG Kaul. “This reckless policy should be struck down.”

Defunding Planned Parenthood threatens at least 200 health centers nationwide, affecting care for more than 1.1 million people, many of whom may not be able to receive care elsewhere. Recent findings from the Guttmacher Institute show that alternative healthcare centers lack the capacity to absorb the number of patients who currently rely on Planned Parenthood for healthcare.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the Medicaid funding prohibition. On Monday, the court granted Planned Parenthood’s requested injunction, concluding that the “Defund Provision” violates the First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause, and the prohibition on Bills of Attainder in the U.S. Constitution.

In Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood provides care to more than 47,000 patients each year at over 20 health centers. Approximately 90 percent of care involves contraception and STI services. In 2021, one in five female Wisconsin Medicaid patients ages 15 to 49 received family planning services through Planned Parenthood.

Other providers in Wisconsin are not equipped to absorb the volume of patients currently served by Planned Parenthood. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without Planned Parenthood clinics, other Wisconsin community health centers would have to increase their contraceptive patient caseload by 144 percent. Moreover, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services anticipates that the “Defund Provision” would increase spending in other benefit areas, such as transportation services and medical costs, because Wisconsin Medicaid members may need to seek these necessary covered services at providers outside of their geographic area or may forgo critical preventative care, which can result in a need to seek more costly medical treatment or emergency services.

In today’s filing, the coalition argues that the Defund Provision is impermissibly ambiguous and violates Congress’ Spending Clause power.

The coalition urges the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the provision in order to prevent the harm this will have on the health and welfare of individuals in their states, as well as the increased costs to the states.

Joining AG Kaul in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

A copy of the complaint is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.