Pennsylvania Fights Off Row Over Medicaid Payment for Abortion

Pennsylvania abortion providers lost their challenge to the state Medicaid agency’s refusal to pay for abortions except in limited circumstances after a state court said Friday they lack standing to assert patients’ rights under the state constitution.

The providers also failed to state a claim that the Medicaid coverage ban violated the Pennsylvania Constitution because the state supreme court previously held that it doesn’t, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court said.

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that pays for medical care for low-income people. In Pennsylvania it’s known as Medical Assistance and is administered by the state’s human services department. ...