Supreme Court hears oral arguments on states’ right to refuse Medicaid funds to abortion providers
By: Susan Berry, Ph.D., originally published April 2, 2025, Catholic Vote
(CV) The US Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a case that could decide whether states may stop funding Planned Parenthood through the federal Medicaid program.
In Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, the state of South Carolina is defending its right to exclude abortion vendors from receiving Medicaid taxpayer dollars.
At a press briefing following the oral arguments, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel John Bursch, who argued before the High Court on behalf of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, described the case as one “that will decide whether South Carolina is free to direct taxpayer Medicaid dollars in a way that it believes will most benefit low income women and families.”
Bursch said Planned Parenthood was engaged in “performing abortions and providing dangerous gender transition drugs – not comprehensive health care,” citing financial details from Planned Parenthood’s own annual reports as evidence.
“According to its own reporting, Planned Parenthood performs between one-third and two-thirds of all abortions in the United States annually, while its provision of other medical services declined,” he said. “Between 2022 and 2023, preventative care visits fell 31% and the number of patients seen annually has fallen by 60% since the 1990s. Meanwhile, cancer screening and prevention services have dropped by 71% since 2010.” FULL STORY
Cincinnati Right to Life thanks Ohio State Representative Adam Matthews (R-56, Lebanon)
State Rep. Adam Matthews was in the SCOTUS courtroom in Washington D.C. on Wednesday for the SCOTUS hearing. Serving as Counsel of Record for Heartbeat International, Rep. Matthews submitted on Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, A BRIEF OF HEARTBEAT INTERNATIONAL, INC. AS AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONER.
Thank you Adam! Your voice in Ohio and Washington is needed for the preborn and their mothers.
In the brief, Rep. Matthews shared:
Heartbeat International, Inc. (“Heartbeat”) is uniquely positioned to provide relevant factual background and legal argument on a key issue in this case: specifically, that care can be given, through Medicaid and TANF, to organizations that operate in agreement with state desires for the protection of life.
The brief continues:
Heartbeat is well positioned to address the healthcare provider issues in this case because it, along with its extensive affiliate network, provides critical support both to parents and their unborn children, including in South Carolina. Heartbeat and its affiliates exemplify the compassionate care that South Carolina envisions its pregnant citizens receive—support for both mother and child.
South Carolina properly exercised this authority by disqualifying Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. The state presented substantial reasons for this decision, highlighting its commitment to maintaining a strong and varied range of qualified providers while defending life at all stages.
Chris Schandeve, Senior Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom shared by email today:
We likely won’t hear about the outcome of this case until June, but until then, I encourage you to keep praying!
I know you may be wondering how oral arguments went. I had a front-row seat in the courtroom at John Bursch’s side, so I’ll share what I saw.
Our argument is simple: South Carolina, like any state, should be free to decide which healthcare providers are qualified to receive Medicaid funds—meaning, your taxpayer dollars.
South Carolina said NO to Planned Parenthood. And that was the right call—because Planned Parenthood isn’t a real healthcare provider. It doesn’t deserve another dime of public funds.
Praise God, the oral argument went very well. The Justices were engaged, asking thoughtful questions that underscored the strength of our arguments. John did a fantastic job. And Planned Parenthood’s attorney couldn’t come up with any good responses to the Justices’ pressing questions. We feel very optimistic about the outcome of this case.
May we all continue to pray! It was great for Cincinnati Right to Life to be on the steps of SCOTUS in prayer and in support of all the voices for life.
Susan Berry, Ph.D. is an author at CatholicVote.org.
