Judge: Arkansas Planned Parenthood funds to remain blocked

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A federal judge who previously prevented Arkansas from blocking Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood says she won’t issue a new ruling requiring the state to resume sending the money to the organization.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker denied a request Monday by Planned Parenthood for a new preliminary injunction that would again halt Arkansas’ decision to cut off Medicaid funding to the organization. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson ended the state’s Medicaid contract with the group in 2015.

A federal appeals court last year vacated an earlier ruling by Baker that prevented Arkansas from suspending Medicaid payments for services rendered to patients in the state.

Planned Parenthood’s latest request sought an injunction on new grounds: that the defunding move violates the constitutional rights of Planned Parenthood and its Medicaid patients.