Carson City, NV — Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief urges the court to uphold a lower court's decision that affirms Medicaid recipients' right to choose their healthcare providers, including Planned Parenthood.
"Medicaid recipients deserve the freedom to choose the health care provider that best serves their needs and to be free from government overreach into their private medical choices," stated AG Ford. He emphasized that approximately 791,000 Nevadans enrolled in Medicaid should have the autonomy to make their own medical decisions.
The issue stems from a 2018 executive order by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, which directed the removal of organizations providing abortion services, such as Planned Parenthood, from the state's Medicaid provider list. A federal district court ruled this exclusion unlawful, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld this decision in March 2024. The case is set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court on April 2.
The coalition's brief highlights Medicaid's role in ensuring access to safe and affordable healthcare for vulnerable populations. It argues that patients must have access to a variety of medical providers, including those offering reproductive healthcare services like Planned Parenthood.
While states have discretion in implementing Medicaid programs, specific safeguards are meant to protect patients' rights to choose their healthcare providers without government interference. The coalition contends that South Carolina's actions underscore why Congress established these protections.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell led the submission of the brief, with support from attorneys general in California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.