Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Sues Trump Administration for Blocking Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning from Receiving Medicaid Funding
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Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Sues Trump Administration for Blocking Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning from Receiving Medicaid Funding
July 29, 2025
Attorney Generals Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danna Hayes
Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Sues Trump Administration for Blocking Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning from Receiving Medicaid Funding
AUGUSTA — Attorney General Aaron M. Frey today joined a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia in suing the Trump Administration over the sweeping budget reconciliation law (“Big Beautiful Bill”), specifically the “Defund Provision,” signed by President Donald Trump this month. This provision, which targets Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning and other reproductive health centers is a direct attack on the healthcare access of millions of low-income Americans, disproportionally affecting women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color. This provision specifically blocks Medicaid reimbursements for essential healthcare services, such as cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing at family planning health centers. The coalition asks the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing this devastating and unlawful provision, which will lead to widespread disruptions in preventative care and increase healthcare costs if allowed to stand. The States should not be co-opted into executing this unconstitutional provision.
“With rural hospitals under constant threat, there are many rural and low-income Mainers without access to health care providers. Without Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning, these patients in Maine will simply have nowhere to turn for routine healthcare,” said Attorney General Frey.
The “Big Beautiful Bill,” is a sweeping Republican-led law signed by the President last month. Among its many provisions, one of the most detrimental sections is a clause that blocks federal Medicaid funding for essential medical services such as cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and wellness exams-provided at family planning health centers.
Defunding family planning health centers threatens at least 200 health centers nationwide, affecting healthcare for more than 1.1 million people, many of whom are unlikely to be able to receive care elsewhere. Despite claims by Republican lawmakers that other healthcare centers can absorb these patients, recent findings from the Guttmacher Institute indicated that alternative locations do not have the capacity to serve the number of Americans who currently rely on family planning health centers for their healthcare. Maine's family planning care network consists of 18 Maine Family Planning (MFP) health centers, including a mobile health center and 4 Planned Parenthood Northern New England (PPNNE) health centers.
In today’s filing, the coalition argue that the Defund Provision, which prohibits Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood, is impermissibly ambiguous and violates Congress’ Spending Clause power. They highlight that the provision is likely to increase health risks, including delayed diagnoses of STIs and cancer and increased unintended pregnancies, which will result not only in widespread and devastating effects on the health of our most vulnerable residents, but also increased costs of $30 million over the next five years and $52 million over the next ten years in Medicaid programs. They urge the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the provision in order to prevent the tremendous harm this will have on public health and welfare of their states, as well as the increased costs to the states. Joining AG Frey in this suit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Josh Shapiro, in his official capacity as governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
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