Planned Parenthood Sues Texas Over Medicaid Exclusion: The provider claims the

Planned Parenthood has filed suit against the state of Texas over its decision to exclude the reproductive health provider from the Medicaid program.

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said Monday the lawsuit aims to protect health care access for 13,500 patients statewide.

Planned Parenthood and 10 individual patients filed a lawsuit Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to halt the government’s plan, saying it’s a violation of federal statute and the 14th Amendment that guarantees equal protection.

The state’s move is a response to national outcry over a series of “undercover” videos released earlier this year which purport to show agency personnel discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Because 90 percent of the money came from the federal government, Texas accounted for nearly $310,000 of that total.

Planned Parenthood receives the biggest chunk of its taxpayer dollars from providing basic health services, like birth control consultations and STD testing, to low-income people enrolled in Medicaid.

“Officials who oppose women’s access to reproductive healthcare may think they can bully us out of providing care for our patients, but we won’t back down and we won’t shut our doors”.

Planned Parenthood claims in the suit that the Texas Health and Human Services commission plans the funding cut for reasons that are “false” or “wholly irrelevant” to the organization’s qualifications.

Other Republican states, including Louisiana, have also attempted to defund Planned Parenthood as a result of the videos. I Vote Planned Parenthood Action in Nevada will encourage Planned Parenthood advocates and use that strength to influence the ballot box.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, which operates a clinic in Tulsa, called Fallin’s letter, “premature and incredibly disappointing” in a press statement. In addition, “the vast majority of Planned Parenthood services qualify for a 90 percent federal match, making the total payment slightly more than $1 million”.

Hons said he’s confident a judge will side with Planned Parenthood and provide the emergency relief they are seeking.

Doing that for profit would violate federal law. The OIG also contends PP engaged in Medicaid fraud, but have provided no concrete evidence. “We can not continue imposing barriers to care on women”.