Judge rejects bid by Planned Parenthood to stay in Medicaid, affecting health service for thousands

[TexasTowelie]

by Shannon Najmabadi, Texas Tribune


Low-income patients will no longer be able to use Medicaid to get nonabortion health services at Planned Parenthood, after a Wednesday court decision said Texas can move forward with kicking the health provider out of its Medicaid program.

The decision takes effect Thursday, and leaves thousands of patients with "few places to turn," Planned Parenthood said.

The decision is the latest in Texas officials’ yearslong effort to cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state last year and health officials told Planned Parenthood's Medicaid patients they had until early February to find new doctors. But the health provider filed an emergency lawsuit saying the state had not followed the proper procedures.

A state district judge granted a temporary restraining order on Feb. 3, delaying the state from kicking Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid. That was extended in late-February, after a winter storm and crippling power outages slowed court proceedings. Medicaid is the joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor. Planned Parenthood provided health services like contraceptives, cancer screenings and treatments for sexually transmitted infections to more than 8,000 patients in the program in 2019.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/10/planned-parenthood-medicaid-texas/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Texas is trying for the "Most Disgusting State" title. There's alot of competition.

[riversedge]

3. yes. lots of competition. FL, AL SD etc

[Irish_Dem]

2. An attack on women, POC, low income groups, areas with a shortage of medical facilities.

[LeftInTX]

4. That's an awful decision. I hope PP appeals.

Banning PP from nonabortion services is discrimination.