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From Harvard to Planned Parenthood, here's a recap of Boston federal court's busy Monday
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I'm jealous of everyone who snagged tickets to tonight's sold-out Taste of Eastie. (The MBTA is adding extra ferry service for the event, and it should be excellent weather.)
But first, across Boston Harbor at the Seaport's federal Moakley Courthouse, the Trump administration sparred yesterday with several different organizations over free speech, funding and more. Here's a recap of the day's developments:
Harvard: The fight over the Trump administration's attempt to cancel more than $2 billion in federal funds seems likely headed toward higher court. As WBUR's Emily Piper-Vallillo reports, Judge Allison Burroughs at one point described the White House lawyer's claims that the federal government can cancel grants any time anything doesn't align with its priorities "mindboggling."
- The two sides are now awaiting a decision from Burroughs, after making their arguments in a packed courthouse. President Trump already wrote on Truth Social yesterday that the White House will appeal if the judge sides with Harvard.
Deportations: The case over the Trump administration's campaign to deport foreign students and scholars who had participated in pro-Palestinian activism is also now in the hands of a federal judge in Boston, after lawyers made final arguments yesterday. The American Association of University Professors argued the government illegally infringed on the free speech of students and faculty who criticized Israel. The Trump administration contends non-citizens do not have the same rights and it can revoke visas under national security pretenses.
- As WBUR's Todd Wallack reported from inside the courtroom, Judge William Young had skeptical questions for both sides yesterday. Michael Kagan, an immigration and speech policies expert at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told Todd he expects an appeal is likely, whatever Young decides.
Planned Parenthood: In the legal fight over whether the Trump administration can end Medicaid payments to groups that provide abortions, Planned Parenthood won a partial victory last night in Boston court. Judge Indira Talwani granted a preliminary injunction that, for now, blocks the government from cutting Medicaid payments to individual Planned Parenthood branches that either don’t provide abortion care (perhaps because of local laws) or don't meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year.
- In a statement, Planned Parenthood said it was thankful for the ruling. However, the group said it was disappointed it didn't apply to member organizations that receive more than $800,000 in reimbursements, "risking chaos, confusion and harm" for patients seeking care. Planned Parenthood lawyers have argued the Medicaid funding ban, as part of the new Republican megalaw, amounts to a "backdoor abortion ban" and would force rural health centers to close.
In other news...
Ouch: If you thought this year's health insurance rate hikes were bad, don't look now. Massachusetts regulators have been haggling with health insurers over proposed premium rate increases for hundreds of thousands of small business and individual plans for 2026. And on Monday, the Division of Insurance announced they negotiated down the hikes for six carriers, while rejecting two particularly steep increase proposals by the state's biggest insurers.
- Approved: Tufts Health, the state's largest provider of "merged market" plans, will be allowed to increase premiums by 11.1% next year, down from the 13.2% the company originally proposed. Meanwhile, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Health New England, United Healthcare, Mass General Brigham Health Plan and Fallon Community Health got approval for rate hikes ranging from 7% to 12%.
- Denied: Blue Cross Blue Shield and WellSense Health Plan wanted to increase premiums by 12.9% and 16.2%, respectively. However, state regulators said those rates were too excessive. Blue Cross and WellSense have the option to appeal.
If you're vacationing this week on Nantucket, you're about to get company. Vice President JD Vance is headed to the island today for a Republican fundraiser, where tickets start at $100,000 per couple. Local activists are protesting the visit, including a Cape Cod resident who runs a popular cat-themed anti-Vance social media account. The Nantucket Current has more on the expected scenes here.
P.S.— Today will be shorter than normal — by roughy a millisecond. This summer, the Earth's slightly-speedier-than-normal daily spins have captured the public's imagination. However, scientists say the variations are nothing new. (In fact, last year saw the shortest day since the 1950s.)
