Planned Parenthood closes Indiana clinics for a day

Planned Parenthood closes Indiana clinics for a day
Planned Parenthood in Indiana faces a budget shortfall, leaving it's workers unpaid Wednesday. WBEZ/file
Planned Parenthood closes Indiana clinics for a day
Planned Parenthood in Indiana faces a budget shortfall, leaving it's workers unpaid Wednesday. WBEZ/file

Planned Parenthood closes Indiana clinics for a day

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Most Planned Parenthood offices in Indiana will be closed Wednesday, including those in Northwest Indiana.

The move comes while the group’s fighting to preserve access to federal Medicaid dollars that are administered by the state. A new Indiana law bars those funds from going to abortion providers.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana has asked a federal judge for an injunction that would block Indiana’s law and allow the group to once again accept Medicaid payments. While that court fight has dragged on, private donors have provided the group with more than $100,000. That money dried up earlier this week, so Planned Parenthood workers will not be paid for their time off Wednesday.

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller says the organization could fix the funding problem on its own by splitting in two. “They’ve refused to do that. Why won’t they just separate those two services,” Zoeller said. “One with federal and state funds can go to and the others that are prohibited by law.” Zoeller is in Chicago this week for a conference held by the National Association of Attorneys General.

Planned Parenthood and the Obama administration point out that federal law already bans Medicaid funds from being used for abortions. The federal government has said Indiana’s law is illegal and has sided with Planned Parenthood in federal court. A judge plans to rule on whether to grant an injunction by July 1.