Judge: Texas Can Kick Planned Parenthood Out of the Women's Health Program

When we said yesterday Planned Parenthood could remain part of the Texas's Medicaid Women's Health Program "for now," we didn't know "now" would last less than 24 hours. A Fifth Circuit appeals judge has overturned yesterday's preliminary injunction blocking Texas from kicking Planned Parenthood out of the WHP. In his...

By Anna Merlan

May 1, 2012

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When we said yesterday Planned Parenthood could remain part of the Texas's Medicaid Women's Health Program "for now," we didn't know "now" would last less than 24 hours.

A Fifth Circuit appeals judge has overturned yesterday's preliminary injunction blocking Texas from kicking Planned Parenthood out of the WHP. In his ruling, Judge Jerry Smith granted Texas an emergency stay, saying in the meantime he'll examine whether the state has the right to deny funding to the non-profit.

For now (and we use those words with extreme caution this time), Texas will be allowed to enforce its new rule banning Planned Parenthood from the WHP. According to the Associated Press, Smith gave the eight Planned Parenthood affiliates in the case until 5 p.m. today to present new arguments in an opposition brief. This is like watching the worst game of pingpong ever.

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