Planned Parenthood chapter sues Louisiana officials to block planned cuts in Medicaid funds
A Planned Parenthood clinic in Warren, Michigan. Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com
A Planned Parenthood chapter in Louisiana has filed suit to prevent the state from cutting off Medicaid funding to the organization in the wake of the release of a series of videos on fetal tissue research.
The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, seeks an injunction to block enforcement of an order by Gov. Bobby Jindal that would cut off Medicaid funds to the organization after Sept. 1, the Wall Street Journal reports.
“We’re in court today to protect over 5,200 people’s access to cancer screenings, well-woman exams and basic health care in Louisiana,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Many of these folks would have nowhere else to turn for health care.”
“Planned Parenthood is flailing. This lawsuit is without merit, and the state will aggressively defend our right to cancel the contract,” Mike Reed, a Jindal spokesman, told the Wall Street Journal. “The Medicaid provider contract between the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and Planned Parenthood gives either party the right to cancel the contract at will with a 30-day notice. Jindal and DHH chose to exercise that right to cancel.”
Louisiana is one of five states that have moved to restrict or cut off funding to Planned Parenthood after the release of a series of videos by the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group that claims the organization profits from providing fetal tissue to researchers.
Planned Parenthood has denied the allegations.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Racketeering suit is filed against anti-abortion group that released undercover videos”
ABAJournal.com: “Sale of fetal tissue is legal, but prices for processing are a ‘gray and musty area’”
