Fed Judge Blocks Exclusion of Planned Parenthood from Women's Health Program

[Tx4obama]

Finally some good news for women's health in Texas: a Federal judge ruled today to halt the State of Texas from implementing a rule to exclude Planned Parenthood from participating in the Women's Health Program. Republicans passed a law last session specifically excluding the provider from the program. That law runs afoul of Federal statutes preventing the specific exclusion of qualified, licensed healthcare providers.

This is big news. Rick Perry pledged to end the Medicaid $9-to-$1 Federal match program solely to exclude Planned Parenthood from participating. He even said the state would set up its own program in order to exclude Planned Parenthood. To fund that, he said he would take money from seniors and children to pay for it, then make programs funding those Texans look for federal grants to make up the shortfall. Well, bad news Rick: you can't exclude Planned Parenthood from any program.

Today's ruling prevents Perry from excluding Planned Parenthood either via a federally funded or state funded program, since they are a qualified, licensed provider.

So if Texas sets up its own system, they still cannot exclude a provider. Texas Republicans must now decide if they want to end the entire Women's Health Program just to exclude one provider. How far will the Republican war on women go? Planned Parenthood is the single largest provider of care within the Women's Health Program and consistently delivers high-quality care to low-income women. Over 40 percent of the women who receive services through WHP chose to rely on a Planned Parenthood health center.

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Full article here: http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/12211/breaking-fed-judge-blocks-exclusion-of-planned-parenthood-from-womens-health-program

[PDJane]

1. I wonder what effect that has on Romney?

He declared he was "Going to get rid of that," remember?