State to drop Planned Parenthood from Medicaid over videos

Timeline: Planned Parenthood versus the Center for Medical Progress



While abortion opponents have had Planned Parenthood in their sights for years, attacks on the organization have been particularly effective following the release of a controversial series of undercover videos in the summer of 2015 produced by an anti-abortion group.



Sources: Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, Politifact, NPR, Harrisburg Patriot-News, Governing.com, Salt Lake City Weekly, Houston Chronicle

less Timeline: Planned Parenthood versus the Center for Medical Progress



While abortion opponents have had Planned Parenthood in their sights for years, attacks on the organization have been particularly effective ... more Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close State to drop Planned Parenthood from Medicaid over videos 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN -- Texas health officials have decided to cut Planned Parenthood out of the state Medicaid program entirely because of issues revealed in a controversial undercover video, the Houston Chronicle has learned.

The video, released this summer by the anti-abortion Center for Medical Progress, showed that workers at Planned Parenthood's Houston affiliate have altered their abortion process to preserve fetal organs for donation and have allowed private citizens into the lab wearing only gloves – "program violations that justify termination," according to the inspector general of the state health commission.

The private citizens allowed into the lab were the secret videographers, who were actors posing as people hoping to obtain fetal tissue for medical research.

Officials plan to inform the women's health organization of their decision Monday.

"The State has determined that you and your Planned Parenthood affiliates are no longer capable of performing medical services in a professionally competent, safe, legal and ethical manner," inspector general Stuart Bowen wrote in a letter to be sent to the organization.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who ordered the health commission review amid the controversy over a series of similar videos, praised the decision in a statement, calling it "another step in providing greater access to safe healthcare for women while protecting our most vulnerable – the unborn."

Supporters of abortion rights decried the move as politically motivated. Planned Parenthood has denied any wrongdoing and said the videos were heavily edited in an attempt to outlaw abortion.

Planned Parenthood does not receive any taxpayer money for abortions or anything related to fetal tissue donation, and already has been cut out of most state health programs. Being kicked out of federally-funded Medicaid, however, would be a major blow to the organization's ability to provide services such as breast cancer screenings.

The move will make Texas the fourth state to seek to strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid funding. Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana also are trying, but have been challenged in court because of the federal funding involved.

Earlier Monday, a judge in Louisiana ordered that state to continue to provide Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood clinics amid the legal battle.

The federal government, which has expressed support for Planned Parenthood in that fight, did not immediately comment on the decision in Texas.

A similar lawsuit is expected in Texas.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Houston affiliate of Planned Parenthood said the organization "will continue to fight for access to health care and information for all our patients and women and men in the communities we serve."

"Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast has been a trusted health care provider for nearly 80 years," said the spokeswoman, Rochelle Tafolla. "More than ever it is clear that efforts to block patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood through Medicaid are politically motivated. They clearly have nothing to do with the well-being of the women and men in Houston and southeast Texas."