Supreme Court Paves Way for Medicaid Funding Cuts to Planned Parenthood in South Carolina

The U.S. Supreme Court has permitted South Carolina to strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid funding, signaling a victory for Republican-led initiatives to deprive healthcare providers involved in abortion services of public money. This 6-3 decision, led by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, overturns a prior court's ruling favoring Planned Parenthood South Atlantic's Medicaid involvement.

The core issue was the right of Medicaid recipients to choose medical assistance from any qualified provider, a provision contested by lawmakers aiming to defund Planned Parenthood on broader abortion bans. Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson criticized the decision, highlighting attempts to undermine women's healthcare choices.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson hailed the ruling as a reaffirmation of local governance over judicial intervention. This development follows the Supreme Court's 2022 decision that dismantled Roe v. Wade, sparking multiple states to enforce strict abortion regulations. The legal and political clashes surrounding healthcare rights continue.

(With inputs from agencies.)