Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Arkansas' cancellation of its Medicaid provider contract.
Last month, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson ordered the Arkansas Department of Human Services to terminate its Medicaid provider contract with the organization in 30 days. The move came in response to secretly recorded videos released by an anti-abortion group showing Planned Parenthood officials describing how they provide fetal tissue from abortions for medical research.
The state has said Planned Parenthood received more than $51,000 in Medicaid payments in Arkansas over the past fiscal year for family planning and gynecological services. None of the money went toward abortions.
Last week, the U.S. Justice Department argued that Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision to cut Medicaid payments in that state appeared to violate federal law.
