Attorney General Dan Rayfield, along with attorneys general from 11 other states, has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a lower court's decision that recognizes Medicaid recipients' right to choose their healthcare providers, including Planned Parenthood.
Rayfield stated, "Everyone deserves access to the healthcare they need, including the freedom to choose their providers. By joining this 'friend of the court' filing, we are standing up for the rights of Medicaid recipients in Oregon to receive care from providers they trust. This ensures that Oregonians can make the best decisions for their health, and it is our responsibility to defend that right."
The case originated in South Carolina in 2018 when an order was issued by the governor removing organizations providing abortion services from the state's Medicaid provider list. A challenge by a South Carolina Medicaid recipient led to a federal district court ruling that this exclusion was unlawful.
In March 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld this decision, affirming that under the Medicaid Act patients have the right to select their own qualified healthcare providers. The case is now set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court on April 2.
The coalition’s amicus brief emphasizes that Medicaid enables vulnerable populations to access necessary healthcare services and stresses the importance of having access to a broad range of medical providers for effective program functioning. Planned Parenthood offers various services beyond abortion care, including birth control and screenings for sexually transmitted infections.
Other states joining Rayfield include California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington.