Capitol News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with a coalition of 22 attorneys general and the State of Pennsylvania, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump Administration from enforcing a provision in the latest federal budget bill that would cut off Medicaid reimbursements to certain health centers, including Planned Parenthood. The provision, known as the “Defund Provision,” is part of the recently enacted “Big Beautiful Bill” and aims to exclude these centers from receiving federal funds for any healthcare services.

The coalition’s lawsuit was originally filed on July 29, 2025. They are now asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to halt enforcement of the Defund Provision while their legal challenge proceeds. This follows a related case, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. v. Kennedy, in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit allowed the Defund Provision to take effect through an unpublished order issued on September 11, 2025.

Nessel stated: “As we have seen time and again, the Trump Administration is unlawfully chipping away at Americans’ rights and resources – this time the right to choose your own healthcare provider. In Michigan, we already face dangerous maternal healthcare deserts, particularly in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan, where women struggle to access essential preventive care. Stripping away federal funding from trusted providers like Planned Parenthood will only deepen these disparities and further strain our medical system. I will continue to fight to ensure that Michigan residents have access to trusted providers who deliver their care without political interference.”

The lawsuit claims that Congress failed to clearly define what constitutes a “prohibited entity” under the Defund Provision and did not specify when reimbursements would be prohibited. According to the coalition, this lack of clarity has forced states to respond to numerous questions from healthcare providers and develop guidance documents in an attempt to clarify compliance requirements.

Additionally, state officials argue that removing Planned Parenthood from Medicaid reimbursement eligibility could lead to higher healthcare costs due to delayed diagnoses of conditions such as breast and cervical cancer—conditions that are less expensive to treat when detected early through screenings provided by organizations like Planned Parenthood. The lawsuit also points out that other health centers may not be able to accommodate all patients previously served by Planned Parenthood.

Nessel joins attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin in filing this motion alongside Pennsylvania.

A copy of the motion for preliminary injunction is available online (PDF), along with a supporting declaration (PDF) from Megan L. Kavanaugh at the Guttmacher Institute.