12 States Argue Medicaid Act Gives Patients the Freedom to Choose Their Own Providers
Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of 12 attorneys general today filed an amicus brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a lower court’s decision recognizing Medicaid recipients’ individual right to receive care from the qualified providers of their choice, including Planned Parenthood.
“Everyone deserves access to the healthcare they need, including the freedom to choose their providers,” Rayfield said. “By joining this ‘friend of the court’ filing, we are standing up for the rights of Medicaid recipients in Oregon to receive care from providers they trust. This ensures that Oregonians can make the best decisions for their health, and it is our responsibility to defend that right.”
This all stems from a 2018 decision in South Carolina, when the governor issued an order removing any organization that provides abortion services, including Planned Parenthood, from the state’s Medicaid provider list. A South Carolina Medicaid recipient challenged the state’s decision, and a federal district court ruled that the state’s exclusion of Planned Parenthood was unlawful.
In March 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit agreed, holding that the Medicaid Act gives patients the freedom to choose their own qualified healthcare providers. South Carolina appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear the case on Wednesday, April 2.
As the coalition’s amicus brief explains, Medicaid ensures that vulnerable populations can access safe, affordable, and quality healthcare. For the Medicaid program to function effectively, patients must be able to access a wide variety of medical providers, including reproductive healthcare providers. In addition to providing abortion care, Planned Parenthood also provides birth control, screenings for sexually transmitted infections, and educational services.
Joining Attorney General Rayfield in submitting the brief are the attorneys general from California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington.
