Texas bans Planned Parenthood from using Medicaid funds for baby organ harvesting scheme

October 19, 2015 By: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) In a decision that undoubtedly has the state's liberals in an uproar, Texas officials have informed Planned Parenthood (PP) clinics that it would be cutting off Medicaid funding, following the release of a series of undercover videos showing officials at some of the organization's facilities selling baby body parts for profit.

The Texas decision may face a legal battle, reports The Associated Press (AP), like the one taking place in neighboring Louisiana after the state made a similar decision.

The AP noted that Planned Parenthood affiliates across Texas were told in a letter that their enrollment in the joint federal-state Medicaid program was going to be terminated because they may potentially be "liable, directly or by affiliation, for a series of serious Medicaid program violations."

The five-page letter was sent by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General, AP reported.

The news agency further noted:

"The move comes after undercover videos released by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress, which alleges the videos show that Planned Parenthood illegally sold fetal tissue for profit. Planned Parenthood denies the allegation and said the videos were misleading."

Parts for profits driving state decisions to cut off funds
Others who have viewed the videos say they are damning — not misleading — because they clearly show Planned Parenthood officials haggling to get the best price for aborted fetal body parts, all for a profit.

As Natural News reported, the decision to cut off Planned Parenthood's Medicaid funding by Texas health officials comes after Abby Johnson, who worked for a Texas-based clinic for eight years, said officials there most definitely sold parts for profit.

In Louisiana, a federal judge ordered the state to continue providing taxpayer-financed Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood clinics for at least a couple of weeks. The state's governor, Bobby Jindal — a GOP presidential contender who, thus far, has not received much traction in the polls — ordered the blocked funding for what was revealed in the undercover videos. Planned Parenthood sued, however, challenging the non-funding of non-abortion services.

In Texas, the letter to PP affiliates tried to address the legally thorny issue of providing funding for access to other services.

"Your termination and that of all your affiliates will not affect access to care in this state because there are thousands of alternate providers in Texas, including federally qualified health centers, Medicaid-certified rural health clinics, and other health care providers across the state that participate in the Texas Women's Health Program and Medicaid," the letter said.

AP further reported:

"The letter also noted that since 2013, the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature has moved to deny as much funding to Planned Parenthood as possible. That included shutting the group out of the Texas Women's Health Program, which provides care to poor Texas residents."

Clinics lied to clients to get baby organs
But again, as the letter also stated, funding care for "poor residents" is still available via other clinics and state-sponsored facilities that don't sell aborted baby body parts for profit.

On the national level, Democrats led by President Barack Obama have blocked Republican-led efforts to defund Planned Parenthood in the wake of the video revelations. In late September, the Senate voted 52-47 to block a measure that would have transferred $235 million away from Planned Parenthood funding to women's health clinics that don't perform abortions, USA Today reported. Planned Parenthood receives about $500 million in taxpayer funding every year.

For her part, Johnson told The Daily Signal that the clinic where she worked often fooled patients into "donating" aborted baby organs.

"We would tell the client that we are participating in a study and she has an opportunity today to donate the tissue that's removed from her uterus to a research laboratory where they will be working on life-saving treatments for various diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or other types of medical studies," Johnson told The Daily Signal.

"We would tell her this is an opportunity for her to possibly save the life of someone else by donating this tissue," Johnson added. "By creating this altruistic scenario, women would almost always consent and say, 'Yes, absolutely.' "

Sources:

KXAN.com

Evil.news

CenterForMedicalProgress.org

NaturalNews.com

USAToday.com

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