This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to let South Carolina deny Planned Parenthood funding from its Medicaid program. This decision will strip away access to basic, lifesaving care for thousands of patients in the state of South Carolina where abortions are banned after six weeks.
In doing so, the Court has cut off a key legal path for patients to challenge discrimination and political interference in their health care.
At its heart, this decision tells Medicaid patients, especially those who rely on Planned Parenthood for birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings, and routine care, that they have no legal right to choose their provider and puts access to life-saving services out of reach for millions of Americans.
And the harm won’t stop in South Carolina. This decision opens the door for anti-abortion lawmakers across the country (including right here in Washington state) to try similar attacks under the guise of budget or policy choices.
Sadly, it’s another blow to reproductive health care in our country at the hands of the coordinated effort to dismantle abortion access by any means possible.
This will have real impacts in Washington state, especially with the state legislature’s decision to drastically reduce funding for abortion access by slashing the Abortion Access Project by 55%. With non-stop attacks at the federal level, Pro-Choice Washington is calling on Washington state lawmakers to step in and ensure that Washington state has the funding it needs to serve Washingtonians and out-of-state patients.
Pro-Choice Washington remains firm in our commitment to defend Planned Parenthood and every provider under attack. We believe unequivocally that health care decisions belong to patients, not politicians or judges.
We will continue advocating in the state legislature, in our communities, and at the ballot box to protect and expand access to the care people need and trust.
Everyone deserves care with dignity, regardless of their income or zip code.
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Pro-Choice Washington is an independent organization solely focused on political and legislative advocacy for reproductive freedom in Washington state. We believe every person deserves equitable access to affordable, unbiased, quality reproductive and abortion healthcare within their community. Our organization is powered by the voices of more than 26,000 members across the state who are speaking up for reproductive rights through advocacy, community engagement, and education.
