MN Sues Trump Administration Over Planned Parenthood Funding Cuts

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined a coalition of 22 other states and the District of Columbia in suing the Trump Administration over the “Defund Provision” of their budget reconciliation bill, which targets organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America and two of its local affiliates filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration earlier this month challenging the prohibited Medicaid reimbursements.

In Tuesday’s filing, Ellison and the coalition argue that the “Defund Provision” is likely to increase health risks, which could result not only in widespread and devastating effects on the health of vulnerable patients, but also increased costs of $30 million over the next five years and $52 million over the next 10 years in Medicaid programs.

A press release from the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General says that Planned Parenthood health centers in Minnesota rely on more than $9 million in Medicaid reimbursements, covering over 30,000 patients visits each year.