HHS Cuts on Hold (for now)

On Thursday, May 22nd, a federal judge imposed a nationwide temporary injunction against the Trump Administration. The injunction blocks the Administration from implementing $11.4 billion in cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. Twenty-three states including North Carolina filed a lawsuit in March alleging that the Administration lacked the legal authority to unilaterally rescind funding it already allocated. They further argued that the HHS funding cuts s would be detrimental to states' programs including Medicaid. Federal judge McElroy in his 60-page order found that "[a]gencies do not have unfettered power to further a president's agenda." He further stated that "the healthcare funding terminations would constrain the states' infectious disease research, thwart treatment efforts to those struggling with mental health and addiction, and impact the availability of vaccines to children, the elderly, and those living in rural communities." The ruling means the funding will remain in place for the coalition (which includes North Carolina) that brought the lawsuit.