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The president of Planned Parenthood of Arizona praised the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to reject a bid by the state of Arizona to cut off public funding for health providers that perform abortions.
Bryan Howard applauded the court’s refusal to hear the case, calling it "a vindication."
“Planned Parenthood is pleased that there is an important and underserved segment of Arizonans who will be able to continue to be able to get their care from our medical professionals," he said.
Without comment, the court declined to hear the state’s appeal to overturn a lower court decision that blocked enactment of the law.
The state, as part of its participation in the federal Medicaid program, provides family planning services for low-income women.
The Medicaid law permits women to choose from any qualified provider for those services, including Planned Parenthood. In 2012, state lawmakers passed legislation banning organizations that provide abortions from being considered "qualified providers.”
Howard said this is the fourth time in the last three years that women’s health legislation, signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer, has been overturned.
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