Obama kills women’s health program over Planned Parenthood (Democrat #WarOnWomen)

The Obama administration made it official today when HHS officials notified Texas authorities that the administration is killing a woman’s health program because the state prohibited Planned Parenthood and abortion businesses from involvement.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced today that it will cut off all Medicaid funding for family planning to the state of Texas following the state’s decision to implement a law Goverro Rick Perry signed that prohibits any business that does abortions from participating and receiving tax dollars via the program.

Cindy Mann, director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO), wrote Texas health officials today, according to a Huffington post report, and claims Texas broke federal Medicaid rules by discriminating against abortion businesses. In the letter, Mann places the blame at the feet of Texas rather than the Obama administration.

“We very much regret the state’s decision to implement this rule, which will prevent women enrolled in the program from receiving services from the trusted health care providers they have chosen and relied upon for their care,” she wrote. “In light of Texas’ actions, CMS is not in a position to extend or renew the current [Medicaid contract].”

The letter continues, “Medicaid law is very clear; a state may not restrict patients’ choice of providers of services like mammograms and other cancer screenings, if those providers are qualified to deliver care covered by Medicaid. Patients, not state government officials, should be able to choose the doctors and other health care providers that are best for them and their families. In 2005, Texas requested this same authority to restrict patients’ choices, and the Bush Administration did not grant it to them either.”

The state banned Planned Parenthood from participating in the program along with any other agencies that do abortions. In response, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius traveled to Houston to make the announcement that the Obama administration would cut funding of the program and would no longer continue the waiver that Texas had previously been given to continue funding of the program temporarily.

The Obama administration claims banning Planned Parenthood violates the rules governing Medicaid while Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Texas officials disagree and maintain rules for Medicaid allow states the right to determine the qualifications necessary for those agencies allowed to participate in the program, which serves approximately 130,000 low-income women in Texas and provides cancer screenings, family planning and other health services to women. ...