According to the Daily Caller, Texas has decided to deny funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers under the Texas' Women's Health Program. This move places Texas on a collision course with the Obama administration.
The Obama administration has threatened to cut off Medicare funding for the Women's Health Program unless Texas caves in. If a deal cannot be reached, the program will be terminated by the end of March.
What is the Texas' Women's Health Program?
According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Women's Health Program provides low-income women with family planning exams, health screenings, and birth control services under Texas Medicaid. According to the Texas Tribune, the program serves more than 100,000 poor women in Texas. Since the federal government provides nine dollars for ever one dollar Texas provides for the program, a federal cut off would effectively terminate the program, denying the women those health services. According to the Houston Chronicle, the program has been in existence since 2006.
Why does Texas want to deny funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers under the program?
Under the existing law that established the Women's Health Program, Texas has not provided funding for even affiliates of organizations, like Planned Parenthood, that provide abortion. Thus far the rule was only applied to facilities that actually provide abortions. But now the rule will be extended to affiliates of abortion providers even if their facilities do not actually perform abortions, according to a decision by State Attorney General Greg Abbott.
Why is the federal government demanding that Texas rescind its policy?
It is the position of the Center for Medicaid and Chip Services, the federal agency that administers Medicaid programs, that Texas is in violation of the Social Security Act and must provide funding to organizations like Planned Parenthood so long as that specific funding does not go toward providing abortions.
What is the position of the state of Texas?
Gov. Perry is framing the controversy as a pro-life issue, accusing the federal government of trying to force Texas to violate its own laws and forcing a pro-abortion agenda down the state's throat. Texas officials also suggest that funding is fungible. If more money goes to non-abortion services that Planned Parenthood and its affiliates provide, such as birth control and breast exams, more money is available for abortion services.
The Bottom Line
The Obama administration and Texas are not locked in an impasse with poor women caught in the middle.
Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network
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