Planned Parenthood Takes Texas to Court

The national women’s health organization announced on Monday that it has filed suit against Texas for attempting to kick it out of the state’s Medicaid program. Texas’ move comes weeks after a federal district court in Louisiana temporarily halted similar efforts there until the courts could better examine the issue. The decision followed the release of highly edited and widely discredited videos charging Planned Parenthood providers profited off the sale of fetal tissue.

Planned Parenthood has adamantly denied both claims.

Following Texas’ announcement in October that it would stop funding any care for poor women at Planned Parenthood clinics – a response to what state officials called “acts of misconduct” revealed in undercover anti-abortion videos – the women’s health organization is asking the courts for a reprieve. When Abbott cut the funding, Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America promised to fight back, which they did today, by filing a federal lawsuit.

A spokeswoman for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did not immediately return a message seeking comment. According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Planned Parenthood clinics were reimbursed $3 million through Medicaid during the 2015 fiscal year.

Planned Parenthood says it provides cancer screenings, pregnancy testing and other physical exams at 17 centers that would be impacted by the loss of Medicaid dollars.

Planned Parenthood supporters rally at the Texas State Capitol earlier this month.

Other states with Republican governors have tried to financially weaken Planned Parenthood in other ways. They sought to negotiate the purchase of fetal organs from a few Planned Parenthood personnel.