Thomas Barker

Summary: At 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 2025, the federal government entered a shutdown. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), among other parts of The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are not fully closed, but are operating in a limited capacity under HHS's FY 2026 contingency plan and the Anti-Deficiency Act.

The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a significant healthcare decision in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case which will likely have far-reaching implications for Medicaid beneficiaries and providers nationwide. The Medina v. Planned Parenthood case arose from South Carolina's efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. At issue in Medina is § 1902(a)(23) of the Social Security Act (the Act),1 or the "free-choice-of-provider" provision, which allows Medicaid beneficiaries to seek care from any qualified provider.