Planned Parenthood sues states over plans to cut funds

Planned Parenthood filed lawsuits last week against Alabama and Louisiana to prevent them from cutting off Medicaid funding to the organization.

The lawsuits allege that eliminating funding to Planned Parenthood violates federal law and is unconstitutional. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced earlier this month that their states would stop sending Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood after the release of edited videos by an anti-abortion group showing Planned Parenthood staff talking about providing fetal tissue for research.

The lawsuits allege the states' actions will harm Planned Parenthood and its Medicaid patients “who will lose their provider of choice, will find their family planning services interrupted.”

Planned Parenthood offers cancer screenings, birth control, exams, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and other health services in both states. The organization also offers abortions in Alabama but not in Louisiana.

“This lawsuit is without merit and the state will aggressively defend our right to cancel the contract,” Jindal spokesman Mike Reed said, adding that the Medicaid provider contract gives either party the right to cancel the contract at will with a 30-day notice. Attempts to reach Bentley's office for comment were not immediately successful Friday. —Lisa Schencker