Planned Parenthood loses ruling

Posted by Archie Parsons on July 16, 2011 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

INDIANAPOLIS – A federal judge on Wednesday delivered a major blow to Planned Parenthood of Indiana. denying its request for a temporary restraining order that would prevent legislation that defunds the organization from going into effect.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt said in her ruling that the criteria for issuing a temporary restraining order have not been met. The judge said that the ACLU provided information showing the legislation would have a gradual affect on Planned Parenthood as opposed to the immediate harm required for a restraining order.

“This ruling should not be viewed as a signal on a future ruling,” said Walton Pratt, indicating her decision should not be considered in future legal battles of the legislation.

The two sides will meet in court again on June 6 for an injunction hearing.

“We’re obviously disappointed but we have a preliminary injunction hearing to prepare for,” said ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk.

The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Indiana Tuesday after Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill that would prevent the state from entering contracts with organizations that perform abortions.

Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding pays for cancer screenings and physicals for women like 31-year-old Nicole Robbins. Robbins goes to the Indianapolis clinic at 38th and Meridian streets for many of her health needs. The new Indiana law puts that care in jeopardy.

A quarter of the patients served at the clinic at 38th and Meridian streets are Medicaid patients. Planned Parenthood says it serves 9,300 patients across Indiana.

Asked if Medicaid patients will continue to be served, Planned Parenthood’s president and CEO Betty Cockrum said: “I don’t know.”

She said the organization’s leaders hope to make a decision about accepting Medicaid patients within a week.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, along with anti-abortion advocates who support the push to deny Planned Parenthood federal funds, said there are other clinics that will serve the poor.

“I don’t think there’s any question that other clinics will have to ramp up,” said Sue Swayze, the legislative director of Indiana Right to Life, ”but they’re going to get more dollars though to serve more patients. But it’s also true that with any government service there’s not enough dollars and too many patients and waiting lists,”

Long wait lists and poor access to care are exactly what Nicole Robbins fears. And she believes the poor are pawns in a political game. “What do we do? Where do we go?” she said. “I really think its about politics. I don’t think its about the health or care of women or individuals.”