The US Supreme Court is set to hear a case on April 2 that could transform how states like Alaska distribute taxpayer dollar funds to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s and Alaska’s largest abortion provider.
The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, originates in South Carolina, where in 2018 state officials attempted to exclude Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program. The decision was challenged by pro-abortionists.
Now, the Supreme Court ruling, which would not likely come until late summer, could have national implications, including in Alaska, where past efforts to defund the organization have faced legal hurdles.
In 2019, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy attempted to veto $334,000 in state Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, citing taxpayer opposition to subsidizing abortion services. However, the Alaska Supreme Court overruled his decision, reaffirming that state Medicaid funds must cover abortions under the court’s interpretation of the Alaska Constitution’s privacy protections. If South Carolina prevails at the US Supreme Court, it could set a precedent empowering states like Alaska to take similar action.
South Carolina’s argument is that states should have the authority to determine which healthcare providers receive Medicaid funding, particularly when it comes to organizations that perform abortions. Alliance Defending Freedom, representing the state, contends Medicaid payments for Planned Parenthood’s general overhead indirectly free up other funds for abortion services.
Planned Parenthood asserts that excluding it from Medicaid violates the program’s free-choice-of-provider provision, which allows patients to select their own healthcare providers. The organization points to its broader range of services, including cancer screenings, contraception, and pregnancy counseling, as essential resources for low-income Medicaid recipients.
However, data shows that Planned Parenthood’s focus has shifted in recent years, with a decline in cancer screenings and an increase in transgender-related services. In 2022, the organization reported performing 392,715 abortions nationwide—a 5% increase from the previous year. Cancer screening have dropped. In the past decade, total cancer screening and prevention services at Planned Parenthood dropped by approximately 71%, including a 72% decline in breast exams and a 74% decline in Pap tests from 2010 to the 2021-2022 service year. The big growth area for Planned Parenthood is transgenderism.
The Supreme Court case comes as Planned Parenthood faces financial difficulties. The organization’s Greater New York affiliate recently closed five clinics in a year due to budget constraints, and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England has projected an $8.6 million deficit over three years.
In Alaska, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest has already scaled back by one third. The closure of the Juneau clinic in November 2024 left only two locations in the state — one in Anchorage and another in Fairbanks. Like other affiliates, Alaska’s clinics rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements and federal Title X funding.
Adding to the financial strain, the Trump Administration recently announced a $20 million freeze on Title X grants as part of a broader $120 million review of Planned Parenthood’s DEI policies.
While abortion remains legal in Alaska due to state court rulings, many Christians and libertarian-leaning Alaskans oppose using taxpayer dollars for abortion services. If the Supreme Court sides with South Carolina, it could provide Alaska’s leaders with new legal leverage to restrict Medicaid funds from flowing to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood, however, remains a financially powerful entity and spends much of its money on political lobbying and advocacy. It received nearly $700 million in taxpayer funds in 2022-23, mostly through Medicaid. Despite its financial dependency on US taxpayers, the national organization still holds $2.5 billion in assets and pays its CEO more than $680,000 annually.
