Arkansas became the fourth state to cut funds to Planned Parenthood when Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson canceled the state's Medicaid contract with the organization on Friday, August 14, following the leaked videos of Planned Parenthood executives speaking of the selling of aborted fetal tissue.
"It is apparent that after the recent revelations on the actions of Planned Parenthood, that this organization does not represent the values of the people of our state and Arkansas is better served by terminating any and all existing contracts with them. This includes their affiliated organization, Planned Parenthood of Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma," Hutchinson said in a statement.
The Obama administration has warned states that defunding Planned Parenthood could be in violation of federal law.
"Longstanding Medicaid laws prohibit states from restricting individuals who have coverage through Medicaid from receiving care from a qualified provider," spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Kevin Griffs said in a statement. "By restricting which provider a woman could choose to receive care from, women could lose access to critical preventive care, such as cancer screenings."
"The federal government has made it clear that states cannot cut women off from high-quality health care at Planned Parenthood like this," echoed Planned Parenthood's executive vice president Dawn Laguens in a statement.
Hutchinson has ordered the Department of Human Services to end the contract despite such warnings.
"Based on the legal guidance from our counsel and a review of the contract, which allows either party to terminate for any reason with 30 days notice, we believe that we can terminate the provider agreement," said DHS spokesperson Amy Webb in a statement.
