Attorney General Neronha, coalition file motion for preliminary injunction to block defunding of Planned Parenthood and other health centers
Published on Thursday, September 25, 2025
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the Trump Administration from enforcing the “Defund Provision” within the recently enacted federal budget bill (“Big Beautiful Bill”). The Defund Provision excludes certain health centers, including Planned Parenthood health centers, from receiving federal Medicaid reimbursements. Among other things, these centers provide essential healthcare services to low-income patients, such as cancer screenings, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and birth control.
“As the federal government continues its attempts to dismantle health care in this country, we have no time to spare in shielding Americans from the harm these initiatives will cause,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Planned Parenthood and similar health centers provide essential health care services for the most vulnerable members of our communities; services like breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, and the prevention and treatment of communicable diseases. In Rhode Island, we already have primary care shortages, hospitals on the brink of closure, and newly approved increases in health insurance rates which will have families choosing between rent, food, and health insurance coverage. We cannot afford another hit to our health system, and we won’t let this Administration’s unlawful actions make the situation worse.”
After filing suit over the Defund Provision on July 29, 2025, the coalition is now asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to grant its motion for a preliminary injunction because the States are likely to succeed on the merits, the Defund Provision would result in irreparable harm to the States if allowed to stay in effect, and the balance of equities and the public interest favor the States. In a related lawsuit, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. v. Kennedy, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an unpublished order on September 11, 2025 granting the Trump Administration’s request to allow the Defund Provision to go into effect.
The coalition’s lawsuit alleges that the Defund Provision violates the U.S. Constitution’s Spending Clause due to the lack of clear notice and the inclusion of unconstitutional provisions. Specifically, it is evident that Planned Parenthood health centers are the clear target of the Defund Provision, but Congress failed to adequately define (1) the full scope of providers that qualify as “prohibited entities” and (2) the timing of the prohibition on federal reimbursements to such entities. Moreover, the Defund Provision constitutes a change that the States could not have anticipated when joining Medicaid. Throughout the sixty-year history of Medicaid, States — not the federal government — have determined whether providers “qualify” for the Medicaid program.
In its motion for a preliminary injunction, the coalition underscores that:
- The Defund Provision is already impacting the States through increased administrative burdens and compliance costs. For example, the States have had to restructure their claims-processing infrastructure to try to accommodate the Defund Provision’s requirements.
- The Defund Provision’s ambiguity has resulted in the States having to field questions from providers and draft guidance to try to address the ambiguities.
- The Defund Provision will also result in significant increases in the States’ healthcare expenses. For example, treatment for later-stage breast and cervical cancer is much more expensive than screenings and early or preventative treatment. Further, Planned Parenthood treats a high volume of patients, and other healthcare centers not targeted by the Defund Provision will not be able to absorb the influx of patients.
In filing the motion for a preliminary injunction, Attorney General Neronha joins the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governor of Pennsylvania.
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