Health Care — SCOTUS to hear arguments in abortion-related case

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View Online Health Care Health Care The Big Story  SCOTUS to hear oral arguments in abortion-related case The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this week on its first abortion-adjacent case since President Donald Trump returned to office in January.   © The Hill, Greg Nash SCOTUS will hear oral arguments Wednesday for Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic in a case regarding whether states can prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds.     In 2018, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster issued an executive order barring any clinic that provides abortion care from participating in the state's Medicaid program.     Lower courts have blocked the order from going into effect. But if it does, the policy could reduce access to reproductive health care and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood for low-income South Carolinians and serve as a template for other conservative states to follow. Texas, Arkansas and Missouri have already eliminated Planned Parenthood from Medicaid.    Some reproductive rights groups also worry that if the policy is enacted, it could encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to take further action against Planned Parenthood. The Trump administration is arguing alongside South Carolina.     According to health law experts, the case isn't really about abortion. Medicaid is prohibited from covering almost all abortion except in some dire circumstances. At issue is whether Medicaid patients can choose their providers for any services, not just reproductive care.     Planned Parenthood is the country's largest abortion services provider but also offers sexually transmitted infection treatment and cancer screenings, among other services. It also receives a significant amount of money from Medicaid.     Medicaid covers almost 1 in 5 people in South Carolina, and the policy at play in the case primarily impacts women, Black and Brown people.   More than 60 percent of Medicaid recipients in South Carolina are women, according to the reproductive rights organization the Guttmacher Institute. Nearly 3 out of 5 South Carolinians enrolled in Medicaid identify as non-white.     Planned Parenthood expects thousands of supporters to rally outside of the Supreme Court tomorrow at 9:45 a.m. EDT ahead of oral arguments, the organization said in a press release.   Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Federal firings and office closures create concerns for miners Reported closures and firings at federal offices are creating concerns about the safety and health of coal miners.  On Tuesday, massive layoffs at the Department of Health and Human were expected to result in 873 staff cuts from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), according to CBS News.  This agency conducts research and makes recommendations to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.  The …  Full Story Judge rules Alabama can't prosecute people who help women travel for abortions A federal judge ruled that Alabama cannot prosecute groups or people who help women travel out of state to get abortions.  “It is one thing for Alabama to outlaw by statute what happens in its own backyard,” U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson wrote in a Monday ruling.  "It is another thing for the State to enforce its values and laws, as chosen by the Attorney General, outside its boundaries by punishing its citizens …  Full Story 'FDA as we've known it is finished': Former commissioner Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf said the federal agency that he's known for years "is finished" after mass layoffs began Tuesday morning. "The FDA as we’ve known it is finished, with most of the leaders with institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of product development and safety no longer employed," Califf wrote in a post on LinkedIn, saying he's been "overwhelmed with messages …  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read: Bondi instructs prosecutors to seek death penalty for Luigi Mangione Attorney General Pam Bondi Tuesday instructed prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson late last year.  "Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," Bondi said in a statement.   "After careful consideration, I have … Full Story Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: Montana may start collecting immunization data again amid US measles outbreak (KFF Health News)  Attacks on federal science hit Bay Area researchers studying vaccines: 'I have to let people go.' (San Francisco Chronicle)  New York and other states sue Trump over $12 billion cut to public health funding (Crain's New York Business)  What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Alzheimer's risk rises when amount of deep sleep falls, study suggests (CNN)  Fired health workers were told to contact an employee. She's dead (The Washington Post)  Millions of women will lose access to contraception as a result of Trump aid cuts (The New York Times)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: House cancels rest of votes for week after GOP floor rebellion House Republican leaders on Tuesday canceled votes for the rest of the week after a band of GOP lawmakers staged a rebellion on the floor, bringing … Read more Live results: Wisconsin Supreme Court race Wisconsin voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to determine the partisan tilt of their state’s top court in what is shaping up to be one of … Read more   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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