Texas Judge Hears Arguments on State Law Blocking Planned Parenthood From Women's Health Program

April 23, 2012 — On Thursday, lawyers for Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas urged a federal judge to block a state law that bars organizations affiliated with abortion providers from participating in the Medicaid Women's Health Program, Reuters reports (MacLaggan, Reuters, 4/19).

The eight Planned Parenthood affiliates are seeking an injunction to stop the law from taking effect on May 1 (Women's Health Policy Report, 4/12). In Thursday's hearing, they argued that the health care of 40,000 women would be disrupted by the law if the judge does not stop it from taking effect.

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel also heard from Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, who argued that the mission of Planned Parenthood conflicts with the program's goal of reducing abortions. He said women in the program would still be able to go to Planned Parenthood, but it would be the clinics' decision whether to provide services through another funding source.

Helene Krasnoff, a lawyer for Planned Parenthood, said the clinics would lose $13 million a year without funding from the program and might not be around to provide services. When asked by the judge if there was another entity that could offer the services, she said that even if women were able to find a new provider, their care would still be disrupted.

Yeakel said it was a "difficult" case but that he would decide by April 30 whether to issue the injunction (Reuters, 4/19).