Planned Parenthood Going to Court Over Medicaid Dollars!
Planned Parenthood has taken its fight for Medicaid funds to state court, claiming Texas illegally eliminated affiliates of abortion providers from a health care program for low-income women.
The Texas state Legislature passed administrative rules in 2011 that bar health care providers who participate in the mostly federally funded Women’s Health Program (WHP) from performing or promoting abortions, or from affiliating with entities that do.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services responded by pulling federal funding from the state program altogether. Texas sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the lost funding and will go to trial in March 2013. Planned Parenthood estimates that if it does not prevail, it will lose over $13 million in funding per year, resulting in Planned Parenthood closing clinics, reducing hours, and laying-off employees. PP states that this reduction in women care would be devastating to women in Texas. WHP is authorized as a Medicaid program if the federal funding is allowed. No federal funding…no WHP.
The next hearing is November 8th.
Hi, Knicole!
I was Googling, trying to find information regarding something I found called “Disaster Relief Medicaid,” which was in place years ago, though I’m not sure if it’s still in effect. In my search, I stumbled upon your blog post. This is good information. Thank you. 🙂
I’ll continue my search but wondered if you are familiar with any programs which assist disaster survivors, without health insurance, with long-term health coverage, as opposed to care in the immediate aftermath?
Dena