“[The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services] has notified states who have taken action to terminate their Medicaid provider agreements with Planned Parenthood that they may be in conflict with federal law”, Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Ben Wakana said in a statement reported by the Hill.
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The termination of the provider agreements will be effective in 30 days, according to a letter sent today to Planned Parenthood of Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma.
The Obama administration this week warned Alabama and Louisiana their Medicaid funding could be in jeopardy after their respective governors canceled contracts with Planned Parenthood clinics in the wake of the recent revelations the abortion provider is selling the organs and body parts of aborted babies.
HHS said it provided both states with guidance it released in a June 2011 memo, which says states aren’t permitted to exclude providers from Medicaid exclusively on the basis of the range of medical services they provide.
The federal funds authorized by Title X of the Public Health Service act do not go toward abortions, Kentucky Health News added, citing Audrey Haynes, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. “If the governor continues to refuse to provide leadership in finding health care alternatives for New Hampshire women, I am available to help you and your team in achieving those goals”. “I respect human life and do not want Alabama to be associated with an organization that does not”, he said. Planned Parenthood said the organization receives legal payment only for the cost of the procedure and requires a mother’s consent before the tissue is given to researchers.
Louisiana officials have argued the move doesn’t violate federal law because other Medicaid providers offer the same services as Planned Parenthood.
Bentley canceled the state’s Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood because of an anti-abortion group’s release of videos showing members of Planned Parenthood discussing the sale of fetuses and fetal parts.
In Wisconsin, for example, state Rep. André Jacque (R) is attempting to address all the layers of government funding of Planned Parenthood that are under control of his state in several pieces of legislation. “Given the serious and legitimate accusations that have been made against Planned Parenthood, there is no good reason to give them taxpayer dollars while these investigations are ongoing”.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is running for president, said in the debate for the second tier of candidates last week that “we just, earlier this week, kicked them out of Medicaid in Louisiana”.
Planned Parenthood workers and political action committees (PACs) have donated at least $25 million to these Democrats since 2000, the Fox News report said.
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Ruth Dayton, interim executive director of Family Planning Health Services in Wausau, said the bill concerns all rural women’s health providers.
