TOPEKA, May 6, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The state of Kansas has put off defunding Planned Parenthood from the state's Medicaid plan in order to deal with a federal lawsuit the abortion organization has brought against a state official.
Earlier this week Kansas gave notice of its intent to cut off all state Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood next Tuesday, May 10. That decision would cost Planned Parenthood approximately $61,000 a year, according to the abortion provider.
However, two Planned Parenthood affiliates – Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (PPKM) and Planned Parenthood of St. Louis Region (PPSLR) – as well as an abortionist filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday against Susan Mosier, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
The lawsuit calls pro-life Governor Sam Brownback's move an “unlawful, unwarranted and politically motivated decision” and sought an injunction.
The state said, however, that Planned Parenthood engages in “unethical or unprofessional conduct.”
The state asked to postpone the trial, which was set to begin today, and then quickly acquired legal counsel.
Planned Parenthood attorney Bob Eye told the Associated Press that KDHE agreed to a settlement to delay the Medicaid defunding until May 24.
The Obama administration has aggressively sought to prevent states from depriving Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading abortion provider, of taxpayer funds. Last month Vikki Wachino, who oversees Medicaid for the Obama administration, sent a letter to all 50 state Medicaid agencies warning that a federal rule adopted by the administration forbids states from excluding any qualified provider from receiving Medicaid funds.
The federal hearing over state Medicaid defunding is now scheduled for May 17.
