Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Planned Parenthood Sues Alabama Gov. Over Cancelled Medicaid Funding
Planned Parenthood Southeast filed a lawsuit against Gov. Robert Bentley Friday, saying his recent decision to to cancel Medicaid contracts with the organization violated federal law. ... Bentley canceled Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood on Aug. 6, after videos released by an anti-abortion group, which claimed the video showed Planned Parenthood staffers discussing the sale of fetuses and fetal parts. In a statement, the governor called the practices 鈥渄eplorable.鈥 (Lyman, 8/28)
Planned Parenthood says in the lawsuit that it provides family planning services and other preventative health services to women in Mobile and Birmingham with coverage through the Medicaid program. The services include abortions, but the group states in the lawsuit that Alabama Medicaid does not pay for abortions "except in narrow circumstances." Among the lawsuit's claims are that the governor's cancellation of the agreement violates the first and fourteenth amendments of patients' rights to associate with the group and to seek abortions. It also states that it violates a section of the Social Security Act by denying Planned Parenthood patients' rights to choose any willing, qualified healthcare provider in the Medicaid program. (Faulk, 8/28)
The complaint, filed in federal court in Montgomery, Ala., was brought by Planned Parenthood Southeast Inc. and the American Civil Liberties Union. It will be followed next week by a request for a preliminary injunction to preserve Medicaid funding, according to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. (Armour, 8/28)
The organization said Bentley鈥檚 effort penalizes low-income women who seek contraceptive and preventative health care services at the clinics. (Chandler, 8/28)
The lawsuit will be Planned Parenthood鈥檚 second legal move in response to the undercover video controversy spurred by anti-abortion-rights activists this summer. The group announced earlier this week that it would sue Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who took the same step as Bentley to cut off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood services. The Obama administration has already warned the move by Alabama and Louisiana would be illegal because Medicaid enrollees are entitled to the healthcare provider of their choice. (Ferris, 8/28)
