The Trump administration will allow Texas to receive federal family planning funds for a program that excludes Planned Parenthood.
Texas had given up Medicaid funding for its program, Healthy Texas Women, in 2013, after the Obama administration had disapproved of its plan to deny funding to organizations that perform abortions. On Wednesday, the Trump administration granted a waiver effectively reversing that decision and restoring funding.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the decision meant that “Texas is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide family planning and health services through the Healthy Texas Women program while fostering a culture of life.”
.@POTUS has approved the 1115 Waiver for Texas.
Texas is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide family planning and health services through the Healthy Texas Women program while fostering a culture of life.https://t.co/fExxVYxsSw
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) January 22, 2020
Through the Healthy Texas Women program, the state provides certain healthcare services, such as contraception and cancer screenings, to lower-income women.
The Obama administration cut off funding from Texas because federal law requires all states to provide Medicaid beneficiaries their choice of providers. The Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday, though, that the restrictions imposed by Texas were justified because they help provide services to women “who would otherwise not have such coverage.”
The Susan B. Anthony List, a national anti-abortion organization, praised the administration’s decision, asserting that “abortion is not health care.”
“Restoring Texas’s decision regarding use of federal funds is an acknowledgment that the Lone Star State was right all along,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group’s president. “We thank President Trump and Secretary [of Health and Human Services Alex] Azar and urge them to immediately free all states to act on the will of their citizens to support women’s health care without encouraging abortion.”
Clare Coleman, the president and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, accused the administration of issuing an “illegal waiver” to allow Texas to discriminate against providers.
“If other states follow suit to replicate Texas’ request, or similar, more expansive pending waivers are approved, it will disrupt the existing public health infrastructure and limit critical care for patients in communities across the country,” Coleman said.