As of Tuesday, December 21st, 2016, health representatives of the American state of Texas publicized a terminating legal notification to The Texas Tribune for $3.1 million of Medicaid funding to its collective inhabiting Planned Parenthood residencies.
The Medicaid subsidies presently have a “cut-off” that will extend to approximately January 20th, 2017; however, legally, the hindrance may be postponed should the contending organization petition for an administrative hearing with the Human Services Commission and Texas Health Resources within the following fifteen days.
In spite of this, forefront mouthpieces for Planned Parenthood have declined to engage—for, in essence, it would be a lost cause to plead to the individuals who ceased the organization’s operation initially—and will instead candidly appeal to a civil judicial court to bring the defunding to a standstill. Fortunately, neighboring states inclusive of Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kansas have undertaken this tactic and have been triumphant.
Yvonne Gutierrez, the executive director and political delegate of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, announced the institution’s anticipated social and legal dogfight strategies. “Planned Parenthood continues to serve Medicaid patients and will seek a preliminary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit filed in November 2015, following the state’s original threats to take action against Planned Parenthood’s patients.”
Furthermore, the foundation’s executive president, Cecile Richards, admonished the affair as a societal omen. “Texas is a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation. With this action, the state is doubling down on reckless policies that have been absolutely devastating for women.”
The “victory” for conservative Texan parties has ensued six months of Governor Greg Abbott’s controversial venture to obstruct its financial resources via legislature since the obtainment of media from anti-abortion/pro-life demonstrators who proclaimed to be in possession of covertly recorded videotapes that depicted Planned Parenthood appointees “selling fetal tissue for medical research.”
In reference to the New York Daily News, it has been chronicled that, “Investigations by [thirteen] states have been concluded without charges of wrongdoing, although a congressional panel is still investigating. Planned Parenthood has strongly denied the allegations announced in October that it will no longer accept reimbursement for the costs involved in providing fetal tissue to researchers.”
Texas Health and Human Services Inspector General Stuart Bowen purported that the undercover film exhibited Planned Parenthood “violating state and federal law.” Moreover, he conjectured that it has uncloaked the organization’s century of “deviating from accepted standards,” and its “willingness” to consciously tolerate more than the financial fare of “procuring fetal tissue,” but the perceived ethical and moral negligence.
“Your misconduct is directly related to whether you are qualified to provide medical services in a professionally competent, safe, legal and ethical manner,” Bowen wrote in the letter. “Your actions violate generally accepted medical standards, as reflected in state and federal law, and are Medicaid program violations that justify termination.”
Texas Health Resource officeholders previously made allegations against the institution for professed billing fraud, speculating that it had “reliable information indicating a pattern of illegal billing practices”; although, General Stuart Bowen’s correspondence did not allude to this.
The occurrence has provoked unwarranted, gut-wrenching predicaments to diversified women and United States citizens seeking affordable healthcare, plausibly detrimental cancer screenings, medical testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases and infection (STDs/STIs) for females and males, sexual education, pregnancy testing and prenatal services, contraception—again, for females and males—feminist advocacy, and abortion services. Additionally, this is not to mention the generalized encouragement and comfortability amongst medically certified Planned Parenthood staff for patients that have been traumatized with abuse and/or sexual assault.
To aid the establishment’s circumstances throughout Texas, as well as your respective state’s, phone local congressmen/women regarding deficits in funding, and donate to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America here. To contribute to the Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Inc., visit here.
