Pennsylvania sued over ban on state's coverage of abortion

HARRISBURG, Pa. HARRISBURG, Pa (WPVI) -- Abortion providers are suing Pennsylvania in hopes state courts will reverse a decades-old decision to uphold a ban on using state Medicaid dollars to cover elective abortions.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, says the law violates the constitutional equal protection rights of low-income women seeking reproductive health care.

Gov. Tom Wolf's office declined to comment. Wolf supports abortion rights. However, the state Legislature has voted solidly in favor of anti-abortion legislation in recent years.

A 1982 Pennsylvania law bans the use of state dollars for abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. A 1985 state Supreme Court ruling upheld it.

Federal law bans the use of federal Medicaid dollars for abortion. Lawyers in the case say 16 other states allow Medicaid dollars to cover abortions.

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