HHS secretary: No waiver for women's health program in Texas

Kathleen Sebelius, left, Health and Human Services secretary, gets a tour of Ben Taub General Hospital on Friday from Drs. John Riggs and Angela Fisher. Kathleen Sebelius, left, Health and Human Services secretary, gets a tour of Ben Taub General Hospital on Friday from Drs. John Riggs and Angela Fisher. Photo: Thomas B. Shea Photo: Thomas B. Shea Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close HHS secretary: No waiver for women's health program in Texas 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Two weeks after state officials announced plans to effectively ban Planned Parenthood from a health program for low-income women, the secretary of Health and Human Services confirmed Friday in Houston that federal funding for the program in Texas will end.

"The waiver will not be extended," Kathleen Sebelius said during a tour of Ben Taub General Hospital. "We've put them on notice."

The federal government, which covers 90 percent of the cost of the Medicaid Women's Health Program, will wind down the program over several months, she said.

The announcement came a day after Gov. Rick Perry said the state will use state money to continue the program, which covers birth control and basic health screenings for about 130,000 women. He did not provide details.

Sebelius also said direct federal funding for Planned Parenthood is under consideration.

Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, who accompanied Sebelius on the tour, said the federal government could bypass the state altogether.

"We're going to be looking at this on the legislative side," he said.

Sebelius was in town to view the electronic records system at Ben Taub General Hospital, as well as to discuss other programs offered by the Harris County Hospital District.

She also addressed students gathered in Houston for the annual meeting of the American Medical Student Association, praising the hospital district's innovations and telling the students that reforms promised by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 will help them change the way medicine is practiced.

Legislators in 2005 approved a law denying participation in the Women's Health Program to any clinic affiliated with an abortion provider. They delayed enforcement due to concerns that the law violates federal regulations requiring Medicaid programs to be open to any qualified provider.

The state will begin enforcing the law on Wednesday.

Planned Parenthood clinics that provide abortions in Texas are legally separate from those that offer other services, but they are affiliated. The law affects only Planned Parenthood.

A spokeswoman for Perry said the decision on federal funding was anticipated.

"We are still very disappointed this (Obama) administration is choosing to side with abortion providers … instead of 130,000 Texas women," Catherine Frazier said.

But Sebelius said the abortion issue is a false premise.

"It is illegal to spend any federal money on abortion," she said. "This has nothing to do with abortion."

jeannie.kever@chron.com