CMS News – Page 8 – Mostly Medicaid

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Scott Pushes Medicaid Reduction

Alternative Headline: GOP Medicaid Cut Plan Grows

[MM Curator Summary]: GOP senators push a Medicaid amendment that could bring total cuts to $1.24 trillion by limiting ACA expansion benefits for new enrollees.

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Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) and several Republican allies have unveiled an amendment to President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that would reduce Medicaid spending by another $313 billion by limiting the expansion of Medicaid under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare.

The amendment would prevent new enrollees in Medicaid expansion states from receiving the 9-to-1 enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) if they are able-bodied and don’t have dependent children.

The existing population of Medicaid enrollees in expansion states would keep their 9-to-1 FMAP share, even if they temporarily left the program to join the workforce and then returned.

The reduced FMAP for new enrollees would go into effect in 2031.

A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected the Senate bill would reduce Medicaid spending by $930 billion, even without Scott’s amendment to stop the future expansion of the 9-to-1 federal match share in Medicaid expansion states. If it is adopted, it could reduce future Medicaid spending by $1.24 trillion.

CBO found Scott’s amendment would save another $313 billion over ten years, according to his office.

Scott and other conservatives, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), have made a concerted push Sunday to persuade Republican colleagues to vote for the amendment.

The trio of conservatives are not saying whether they will vote for the GOP megabill if their amendment is rejected, hoping to ramp up pressure on colleagues to support the proposal.

Nevertheless, Senate GOP sources expect Scott, Lee and Johnson to ultimately vote “yes” on final passage to support Trump’s agenda.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) pledged to Scott Saturday night that he would support the amendment in exchange for Scott’s vote on a critical motion to proceed to the bill.

“I think it’s going to pass. If you think about it, it’s good policy. It gives the states the opportunity to get ready. Nobody gets kicked off,” Scott told The Hill.

Asked if he would vote for final passage of the 940-page Senate bill if his amendment doesn’t pass, Scott said, “I’ll figure it out then.”

“My goal is to support Trump. I like his agenda,” he said.

The amendment is cosponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).

Thune told reporters earlier Sunday that he expects the vast majority of his conference to vote for the amendment, but he wasn’t sure whether it would pass.

“We think it’s really good policy. Yeah, I think a lot of us is going to be supporting it,” he said.

Asked if he had promised Scott it would be adopted to the bill, Thune said: I don’t think you can ever promise.

“Obviously we’re going to do what we can to support the policy,” he said.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) ruled out changes to the FMAP formula in Medicaid expansion states when the House was putting together its reconciliation bill in early May.

Johnson, the Wisconsin senator and cosponsor of the amendment, said the proposal would roll back a core piece of ObamaCare.

“People are being called and arms are being twisted,” he said. “Nobody loses coverage. … It puts all the states on notice that this gravy train … is going to end.”

Asked if he would vote to pass the bill if the amendment isn’t adopted, Johnson declined to reveal his plans.

“I don’t get flushed out,” he said. “We’re trying to apply as much pressure as possible to get this amendment passed.”

Johnson said if the implementation date was moved up from 2031 to 2030 it would save “$417 billion.”

“It’s real money,” he said.

Updated at 10:19 p.m. EDT

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5376222-scott-pushes-medicaid-reduction/

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Posted on July 7, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Rick Scott Demands More Cuts to Medicaid, Which His Company Allegedly Scammed

Alternative Headline: Rick Scott Pushes Medicaid Cuts

[MM Curator Summary]: Sen. Rick Scott seeks $313 billion more in Medicaid cuts despite past ties to a major Medicaid fraud case.

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Rick Scott Demands More Cuts to Medicaid, Which His Company Allegedly Scammed

Scott proposes slashing $313 billion more from Medicaid, a safety-net program his hospital company was accused of fraudulently billing

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who’s famous for his former hospital company’s record-setting Medicare fraud settlements, is currently leading an effort to make Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” even more painful for America’s poor.

The legislation already cuts $930 billion from Medicaid, the nation’s government health insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans, and would eliminate coverage for millions. Scott’s amendment, expected to get a vote Monday, would take away another $313 billion in state Medicaid funds and force hundreds of thousands of additional people, at least, off the program.

Scott has framed his proposed Medicaid cuts as necessary to preserve the program “for those who truly need it” — and not “able-bodied” adults. “If you don’t want to work, you’re the one who decided you don’t want health care,” he recently said on Fox News. He’s suggested Democrats are using tax dollars to “give illegal aliens Medicaid benefits,” even though undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid, claiming that blue states want to “exploit this safety net.”

Ironically enough, some of the claims against Scott’s old hospital company revolved around exploiting Medicaid, and billing for services that patients didn’t need.

Scott’s office did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment Monday.

The senator resigned as CEO of the hospital chain known as HCA Healthcare in 1997 amid an ongoing federal probe and a series of whistleblower complaints. He has long faced attacks from Democrats over the $1.7 billion that HCA paid to resolve fraud allegations in the early 2000s. Some of the allegations involved Medicaid.

In late 2000, as part of the “largest government fraud settlement ever” with the Justice Department, HCA pleaded guilty to criminal conduct and agreed to pay over $840 million in fines, penalties, and damages to resolve claims of unlawful billing practices.

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Among the claims HCA settled over: The company was accused of billing “Medicare, Medicaid, the Defense Department’s TRICARE health care program, and the Federal Employees’ Health Benefits Program, for lab tests that were not medically necessary” and “not ordered by physicians.”

HCA was accused of “upcoding,” or pretending patients were sicker than they were in order to increase reimbursements to its hospitals. “The guilty plea includes one count relating to this upcoding practice,” the Justice Department wrote in a press release. The company was also accused of billing Medicaid “for home health visits for patients who did not qualify to receive them or were not performed,” the department said.

The civil and administrative settlement agreement between HCA and the U.S. Justice Department said the company, from 1995 to 1998, submitted claims to Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE, “(a) for visits to patients who did not qualify for home health services because (i) the patients were not homebound, (ii) there was no medical need for such services, or (iii) there was no medical need for skilled services; (b) for visits that were not provided; (c) for visits to deliver services that were in fact or should have been provided by an assisted living facility.”

HCA and the Justice Department entered into an additional settlement agreement in 2003, in which the company agreed to pay another $631 million to resolve false claims it submitted to federal health programs.

In a civil settlement agreement, the Justice Department wrote that health regulators “contend that they have certain administrative claims against HCA under the provisions for permissive exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs.”

Under both agreements, the Justice Department announced that HCA would pay millions of dollars to state Medicaid agencies: $13.6 million in 2000, and then $17.5 million in 2003. The department said the latter figure represented “direct state losses.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/rick-scott-medicaid-scam-trump-big-beautiful-bill-1235375383/

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Posted on July 7, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Over 90% of Medicare and Medicaid Enrollees Experience Delays or Barriers to Care, According to Survey

Alternative Headline: Dual-Eligible Face Care Gaps

[MM Curator Summary]: A new survey finds over 90% of dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid enrollees experience care delays and confusion, highlighting urgent gaps in care access.

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A new survey from Cityblock Health and Ipsos revealed that 92% of those enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid—or dual-eligible folks—face delays in care, confusion about coverage and difficulty accessing essential health services.

While researchers behind the survey expect this dual-eligible population to surpass 15 million by 2028, these findings point to the urgent need for more integrated and person-centered models of care.

Dual-eligible individuals must often navigate two separate health plans, each with different rules, benefits and provider networks.

According to the survey of 280 respondents, this process tends to lead to delayed care, confusion about coverage, and increased reliance on emergency services.

Cityblock President Mike Roaldi told Managed Healthcare Executive that the transition from Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs) to Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) represents a major inflection point.

The survey found that nearly one in four participants (24%) had to wait two weeks or more to see their primary care doctor, and 38% reported often waiting more than 30 minutes after arriving for an appointment.

One in five respondents said they found their healthcare difficult to access.

These access issues often led to delays or more costly alternatives: 42% reported visiting the emergency room or urgent care at least once in the past year due to dissatisfaction with their doctor, and 33% said they postponed care following a negative experience with the healthcare system.

In addition, 25% delayed care because they didn’t understand their health plan.

Mental health and social needs further complicate access to care.

It was also found that more than half of respondents (54%) said they experienced sadness at least monthly, 45% reported symptoms of depression and 42% said they often felt lonely.

Social determinants were also a factor.

For example, 28% reported transportation challenges and 69% said money was a daily struggle.

Toyin Ajayi, M.D., CEO and co-founder of Cityblock Health, said in a news release that these findings highlight the need for a different kind of healthcare experience.

“With nearly two in three dual-eligible patients struggling with their health daily, it’s clear that more needs to be done to provide a trustworthy, effective, and longitudinal care experience for this population and prevent costly consequences like avoidable delays in care and unnecessary ER visits,” Ajayi said.

Cityblock’s care model focuses on delivering outcomes-based care tailored to individuals’ medical, behavioral and social needs. In 2024, the company served more than 100,000 Medicaid and dual-eligible members across seven states, partnering with community-based organizations.

“I think we’ll continue to see a push for greater integration so that the Medicare and Medicaid benefits are aligned within a single payer,” Roaldi said. “The survey shows that confusion and delays are related, and having two payers covering different benefits with different networks adds to that confusion.”

Roaldi pointed out that dual-eligible folks often have multiple chronic and behavioral health needs, which makes “fragmented” care especially harmful.

When services are split across two systems, patients face more unmet needs, duplicative services and inconsistent communication between providers, he added.

“The complex and separate eligibility requirements, benefits, and rules for Medicare and Medicaid contribute to a fragmented and disjointed system of care,” Roaldi said. “That is mitigated from the member’s perspective when a single plan covers both Medicare and Medicaid services.”

With all MMPs required to transition into D-SNPs, Roaldi said there are real opportunities for improvement—if health plans rise to the challenge.

“The good news is there has already been movement toward aligning the D-SNP and MMP requirements,” he noted. “Also, with fewer types of plans serving dual-eligible individuals, plans and providers can focus more of their attention and resources on care delivery.”

However, the transition to D-SNPs also comes with new risks.

Most members will have to actively choose their plan, making it essential for D-SNPs to offer real value and clear communication.

“D-SNP will represent a more heavily consumer-based orientation than MMPs,” Roaldi said. “This will present opportunities for D-SNP investment in supplemental benefits that can address seniors’ social needs.”

He stressed that success will depend on robust partnerships and models that are built to serve complex populations.

“Without support for community-based, comprehensive care models like Cityblock, there is a risk of failing to advance outcomes within this vulnerable population,” Roaldi said. “The transition to D-SNPs, if supported by models like Cityblock, has the opportunity to shift the system toward more whole-person care experiences.”

The Cityblock and Ipsos survey makes clear that while some progress has been made, dual-eligible folks—particularly older adults—still face substantial barriers in accessing timely, coordinated care.

https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/over-90-of-medicare-and-medicaid-enrollees-experience-delays-or-barriers-to-care-according-to-survey

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Posted on July 4, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Supreme Court reframes Medicaid patients’ rights

Alternative Headline: SCOTUS Limits Medicaid Choice

[MM Curator Summary]: The Supreme Court ruled Medicaid recipients can’t sue to enforce their right to choose providers, allowing states to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid.

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The Supreme Court on Thursday curtailed low-income patients’ rights to chose their health providers while giving conservative-led states a bigger opening to exclude Planned Parenthood affiliates from their Medicaid programs.

The big picture: The 6-3 decision by the court’s conservative majority potentially adds more obstacles to care, on top of financial barriers or poor health, and comes as Congress debates major changes to Medicaid that could cause millions of people to lose health coverage.

While the arguments before justices were narrow in scope, the ruling has huge ramifications for women trying to access reproductive care. Medicaid covers 1 in 5 women of child-bearing age and is the biggest source of coverage for women with low incomes, covering more than 4 in 10, per KFF.

The latest: Justices ruled Medicaid patients in South Carolina couldn’t sue under a civil rights law to choose their provider after the governor excluded Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program in 2018 because it provided abortion care.

Shutting the organization out of Medicaid has been a longtime priority of conservative politicians — and is one of the policy changes in the Republican budget bill now before Congress.
Such moves not only curtail abortion access but place restrictions on other care the clinics provide, including for sexually transmitted infections and cancer screening, birth control and mental health services.
Patient choices already are limited because, as KFF notes, many states require Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in managed care plans with defined network of providers. Federal law states they can go out of network for family planning. But Thursday’s ruling effectively cuts them off from enforcing their right to choose a provider.

What they’re saying: "This case fits within a pattern of anti-abortion lawmakers and governors seeking to weaponize their authority and overreach into constitutionally and federally protected spaces to deny not only abortion rights, but any other type of reproductive health care that they themselves personally disagree with," said Michele Bratcher Goodwin, co-faculty director at Georgetown’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.

Planned Parenthood said more than 1 million South Carolinians receive health care services through the Medicaid program, and approximately 5% of those recipients sought sexual and reproductive health care services.

"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 crisis," Paige Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said in a statement.

The other side: "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," Katie Daniel, director of legal affairs and policy counsel for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in a statement.

What we’re watching: More red states are expected to follow South Carolina’s lead, with 18 states weighing in on the case, the Associated Press reported.

Legal experts say states may have more latitude to exclude providers on political grounds now that Medicaid recipients can’t legally press their right to chose a provider.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said it intends to continue to operate and offer care in South Carolina, including to Medicaid recipients.

https://www.axios.com/2025/06/27/supreme-court-reframes-patients-rights

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Posted on July 4, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Genetic Tests For Autism, Intellectual Disability Not Being Done On Medicaid Kids

Alternative Headline: Genetic Testing Gaps Persist

[MM Curator Summary]: Most Medicaid-covered children with autism or intellectual disability aren’t getting recommended genetic tests, missing crucial diagnostic opportunities.

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MONDAY, June 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Few poor children with autism or intellectual disability are receiving recommended genetic testing, even though guidelines urge such tests, a new study says.

Fewer than 1 in 5 such kids covered by Medicaid received such testing, which can help guide their futures, researchers reported June 18 in the journal Genetics in Medicine.

“Genetic testing can offer valuable insights for diagnosis and care planning,” said lead researcher Dr. Tashalee Brown, a postdoctoral fellow with the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

“But our findings show a major gap between what’s recommended and what’s actually happening in clinical practice among children who receive health insurance through Medicaid,” Brown said in a news release.

Genetic testing can help identify the cause of a child’s autism or intellectual disability, and also can flag other illnesses linked to these genetic variants, according to Autism Speaks.

For the study, researchers analyzed claims data for more than 240,000 children 7 to 17 enrolled in either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program from 2008 to 2016.

Genetic testing rates were highest among children with both autism and intellectual disabilities, reaching 26%.

But they were just 17% for kids with autism and 13% for those with intellectual disability, results show.

Rates remained low even as newer and less expensive genetic testing methods gained traction after 2013, researchers noted.

The study also found that Black children were less likely to receive genetic testing compared with white kids.

"Diagnosing children with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and intellectual disability can be a lengthy and frustrating process for families," Dr. Julian Martinez, director of the Autism Genetics Clinic at UCLA, said in a news release.

"Genetic testing provides crucial information that can end this search for many families, potentially identifying specific diagnoses, informing treatment approaches, and connecting families with appropriate support services,” Martinez said. “These findings highlight the urgent need to address systemic barriers that prevent equitable access to these recommended diagnostic tools."

More information

Autism Speaks has more on genetic testing for autism.

SOURCE: UCLA, news release, June 18, 2025

What This Means For You

Parents of children with autism or an intellectual disability should ask their doctor about genetic screening.

https://www.healthday.com/health-news/child-health/genetic-tests-for-autism-intellectual-disability-not-being-done-on-medicaid-kids

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Posted on June 30, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – A Framework for Scaling Palliative Care Via Medicaid

Alternative Headline: Scaling Medicaid Palliative Care

[MM Curator Summary]: A study proposes a four-part EDIB model for states to expand Medicaid-based palliative care and improve outcomes.

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States can adopt a specific framework to help scale palliative care via Medicaid, according to a recent study published in Health Affairs.

Currently, the ability to scale palliative care nationally is limited by several obstacles. Among them are lack of awareness and workforce shortages. Another barrier is low reimbursement through Medicare that only covers physician and nurse practitioner services and does not pay for the full range of interdisciplinary care.

In the midst of this, some states have tried to improve palliative care access among their Medicaid populations in hopes of reducing unnecessary and expensive emergency room visits and hospital stays.

“Recognizing these challenges and federal inertia, states are increasingly implementing strategies to raise awareness, strengthen the palliative care workforce, and reform reimbursement to better support people living with serious illness …” the study authors wrote. “Over the past 15 years, states have increasingly adopted policies related to palliative care for people living with serious illness.”

As of 2024, nine states have implemented a comprehensive adult palliative care benefit, the study indicated. About 33 have established a serious illness task force to explore the issue, and eight states have established a pediatric palliative care benefit.

States can expand access further using a Engage, Design, Integrate, and Bundle (EDIB) methodology, the study authors contend.

This includes the following, according to the authors:

Engage: To scale community-based palliative care, states must engage patients, families, providers, and health systems.
Design: States should define palliative care elements including the core teams and services needed to support high-quality care for serious illness.
Integration: States should assess the state landscape to identify mechanisms for integrating aspects of palliative care into existing contracts.
Bundle: States should support specialty palliative care interdisciplinary teams through bundled reimbursement and standardized benefits across care settings.

States would also need to collect data on palliative care and quality measures.

“States can add language to managed care contracts to require data collection for palliative care-related quality measures, such as pain management and quality of life,” the authors wrote. “Other measures states may choose to incorporate include care manager skills training, care manager assessments, and referrals to palliative care.”

https://hospicenews.com/2025/06/25/a-framework-for-scaling-palliative-care-via-medicaid/

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Posted on June 30, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – HHS announces initiative with insurers to streamline prior authorizations | AHA News

Alternative Headline: HHS Overhauls Prior Authorization

[MM Curator Summary]: HHS and insurers launch a national initiative to modernize and streamline prior authorization with electronic systems and fewer delays — the initiative included commitments from insurers covering 257 million Americans. =============================

The Department of Health and Human Services June 23 announced an initiative coordinated with multiple health insurance companies to streamline prior authorization processes for patients covered by Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care plans, Health Insurance Marketplace plans and commercial plans. Under the initiative, electronic prior authorization requests would become standardized by 2027. HHS stated that these reforms complement ongoing regulatory efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve prior authorization, including building upon the Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule.

The plan is expected to make the prior authorization process faster, more efficient and more transparent, the agency said. Participating insurers pledged to expand real-time responses by 2027. HHS said that the insurers would also commit to reducing the volume of medical services subject to prior authorization by 2026, including those for common procedures such as colonoscopies and cataract surgeries.

During a news conference, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said unlike previous attempts by insurers, this initiative would succeed because the number of insurers participating represent 257 million Americans. “The other difference is we have standards this time,” he said. “We have … deliverables. We have specificity on those deliverables, we have metrics, and we have deadlines, and we have oversight.”

Mehmet Oz, M.D., CMS administrator, said that the pledge “is an opportunity for industry to show itself.” Sen. Marshall, R-Kan., said that Congress could pursue codifying at least some portions of the initiative in the future.

Additionally, participating insurers would honor existing prior authorizations during coverage transitions.

https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-06-23-hhs-announces-initiative-insurers-streamline-prior-authorizations

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Posted on June 29, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – Major Health Insurers Agree to Simplify Prior Authorizations

Alternative Headline: Insurers Pledge PA Reforms

[MM Curator Summary]: U.S. insurers commit to streamlining prior authorizations for 257 million Americans across key insurance markets.

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UnitedHealthcare is among the health insurers that would be affected by reducing prior authorizations.

Major U.S. insurers said they would streamline the prior authorization process.

Health insurance trade association AHIP said the changes would be implemented across insurance markets, including commercial coverage, Medicaid managed care, and Medicare Advantage plans, and benefit 257 million Americans.

"The health care system remains fragmented and burdened by outdated manual processes, resulting in frustration for patients and providers alike," AHIP CEO Mike Tuffin said. "Health plans are making voluntary commitments to deliver a more seamless patient experience and enable providers to focus on patient care, while also helping to modernize the system."

The changes would affect patients covered by insurance providers that include CVS Health (CVS), UnitedHealth Group’s (UNH) UnitedHealthcare, Cigna (CI), and Humana (HUM). The move comes after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December brought attention to the prior authorization process.

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https://www.investopedia.com/major-health-insurers-agree-to-simplify-prior-authorizations-11759114

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Posted on June 29, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – AdvaMed applauds HHS, CMS efforts to improve prior authorizations

Alternative Headline: AdvaMed Backs PA Reforms

[MM Curator Summary]: AdvaMed supports federal efforts to simplify prior authorizations, citing improved patient access and reduced clinician burden.

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AdvaMed voiced strong support this week for the Trump administration’s efforts to reform prior authorization, following a pledge by major health insurers to improve the process across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, commercial plans and the ACA marketplaces.

In a LinkedIn post, AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker thanked U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz for securing commitments to cut red tape in accessing care. The changes could impact as many as 257 million Americans, according to HHS.

“The current system impedes access to care and adds paperwork for clinicians, consuming time better spent on actually treating patients in need,” Whitaker said in the post. “If these commitments hold and are implemented well, American patients could see a big improvement in getting the health care they need with less red tape.”

AdvaMed said it is ready to partner with the administration to ensure the reforms are implemented effectively. HHS and CMS announced the agreement during a press conference this week alongside lawmakers and other stakeholders.

https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com/advamed-applauds-hhs-cms-efforts-to-improve-prior-authorizations/

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Posted on June 29, 2025 by Sarai McDowell

CMS NEWS – States can block Medicaid money for health care at Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court says

Alternative Headline: States Can Defund Planned Parenthood

[MM Curator Summary]: The Supreme Court ruled that states can block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds, even for non‑abortion services.

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WASHINGTON — States can block the country’s biggest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood , from receiving Medicaid money for health services such as contraception and cancer screenings, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.

The 6-3 opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by the rest of the court’s conservatives was not directly about abortion, but it comes as Republicans back a wider push across the country to defund the organization. It closes off Planned Parenthood’s primary court path to keeping Medicaid funding in place: patient lawsuits.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/06/26/supreme-court-planned-parenthood-abortion-medicaid/ce97944c-5297-11f0-baaa-ba1025f321a8_story.html

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