PA Supreme Court Decision Sends Abortion Funding Case Back to the Lower Court

HARRISBURG, PA –The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that a lower court must decide whether to allow taxpayer funding of abortion in the Keystone State.

In Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, the PA Supreme Court issued a highly complex decision of more than 200 pages, remanding a Medicaid abortion case back to Commonwealth Court. The state Supreme Court’s 3-2 decision demonstrates the highly-divisive nature of the ruling, which involves when taxpayers will be required to pay for abortions. For decades, Medicaid abortions in Pennsylvania have been limited to the rare cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.

“The vast majority of Pennsylvanians do not want to see their hard-earned tax dollars spent on abortion, which is the taking of an innocent, unrepeatable human life,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the Keystone State affiliate of National Right to Life.

“Research clearly indicates that, when taxpayer funding of abortions occurs, abortion totals skyrocket. More than 34,000 abortions took place in Pennsylvania in 2022, according to statistics from the PA Department of Health. That’s truly alarming,” Gallagher added. “The women of the Commonwealth and their babies need comprehensive care and support, not a blank check for taxpayer-funded abortions.”

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The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is a grassroots right-to-life organization with members statewide.  As the state affiliate of National Right to Life, PPLF is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life and to restoring legal protection for preborn children.