A major court ruling handed down on Tuesday could allow the Trump administration to enact a "back-door abortion ban," advocates warn.
On Tuesday, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled that the Trump administration can withhold Medicaid funding for abortion care providers, putting a lower court's injunction on the policy on hold. The three-judge panel found the policy, which was included in Trump's massive domestic policy and spending bill, can withhold the funds from Planned Parenthood centers in 22 states and the District of Columbia, The Guardian reported.
The report noted that it is already illegal to spend federal dollars on abortion care. Even so, Planned Parenthood uses its federal funding to provide STI tests, cancer screenings and the provision of contraception, according to the report.
Planned Parenthood also served more than 1.5 million people last year who relied on Medicaid to cover their cost of care, the report added.
"If those people can no longer go to Planned Parenthood for reproductive health services, experts say they will probably be left with nowhere to turn," according to the report.