PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Trump administration for blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding.

Rayfield joined a coalition of 22 states and Washington D.C. in the lawsuit against the budget reconciliation law, called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed by President Trump earlier in July.

The lawsuit focuses on the “Defund Provision” in the bill, which blocks Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for health care services such as cancer screenings, birth control and sexually transmitted infection testing.

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The attorneys general say that without Medicaid reimbursements for these services, Planned Parenthood clinics will be forced to shut down to reduce services.

“Defunding Planned Parenthood is not about fiscal responsibility—it’s about targeting healthcare providers that some politicians don’t like,” Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a statement. “Planned Parenthood is where thousands of Oregonians go for cancer screenings, contraception, and basic medical care. Pulling Medicaid funding doesn’t make that need disappear, it just makes it harder for people to stay healthy.”

Because Medicaid is carried out in a state-federal partnership, Congress’ move to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” makes states move forward with these “unconstitutional objectives,” when processing Medicaid reimbursements, the attorney’s general claim.

“States are now placed in an untenable position: either allow Planned Parenthood clinics to close— crippling state healthcare systems and driving up long-term medical costs — or use state funds to keep those health centers open, forfeiting matching federal dollars,” the attorneys general continued.

In Oregon, Planned Parenthood facilities rely on more than $16.7 million in annual Medicaid reimbursements to cover over 51,000 patient visits, according to Attorney General Rayfield’s office, noting nearly 60% of all patients rely on Medicaid for care including cancer screenings, birth control and STI testing.

“We are grateful Oregon has joined this multi-state lawsuit. This law is a targeted attack on Planned Parenthood and the millions of patients – including tens of thousands in Oregon – who rely on Planned Parenthood health care services,” said Dr. Sara Kennedy, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette. “We’re not backing down from this fight, and we feel fortunate to be in partnership with the Attorney General’s office to ensure our communities have access to the care they deserve.”

“This law is dangerous and unnecessary,” added Amy Handler, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon. “The Trump administration and its backers in Congress are trying to make it harder to access care – meaning cancers will go undetected, STIs will go untreated, and patients won’t get the birth control or abortion care they need to plan their families and futures. We look forward to working closely with the Attorney General’s office to protect access to care.” 

Officials said defunding Planned Parenthood threatens at least 200 health centers across the United States and impacts care for over one million people.

This lawsuit brought by states follows a separate lawsuit filed earlier in July by Planned Parenthood and two of its local affiliates, against the Trump administration over the blocked Medicaid reimbursements.

In that case, a district court judge granted a preliminary injunction – ruling that the Defund Provision violates the First Amendment and Equal Protection Clause.

In Tuesday’s filing, the attorneys general argue that the Defund Provision also violates state rights – warning implementation of the Defund Provision will cause delayed diagnoses of cancer, STIs, increased unintended pregnancies and increased healthcare costs estimated at $30 million over five years and $52 million over 10 years in Medicaid programs alone.

Rayfield joined the complaint alongside the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Josh Shapiro, in his official capacity as governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.