In abortion battle, White House defunds Texas Women Health Program

[boston bean]

After Texas blocked abortion providers’ participation in its Medicaid Women’s Health Program, the White House officially notified the state Thursday afternoon that it will pull all funds from the program, which totalled about $39 million last year.

Twenty-nine states participate in the Medicaid’s Women Health Program, which extends Medicaid coverage for reproductive health services to lower-income women who do not qualify for the rest of the entitlement program’s benefits. In Texas, the program served about 130,000 women, with the federal government footing 90 percent of the bill. About half of the clinics participating in the program would have been disqualified by the new legislation.

“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 on for their care,” Medicaid director Cindy Mann wrote in a Thursday letter to Texas officials.

While nine states have passed legislation to end abortion provider’s government funding, Texas is the first to lose federal dollars over it. Other states’ laws have only affected state spending, or have been held up by court challenges.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/in-abortion-battle-white-house-defunds-texas-women-health-program/2012/03/15/gIQAJWLtES_blog.html

[monmouth]

1. No, Texas did the de-funding..n/t

[Cerridwen]

2. White House follows federal regulation.

News @ 11.

wapo buries the lead and water is still wet.

In letters to other states that have tried similar moves, U.S. officials note that federal regulation does not allow states to bar a certain provider from Medicaid for providing a legal service.

“The law is very clear in Medicaid around free choice of provider,” Mann told reporters Thursday afternoon. “We strive to provide as much flexibility is possible...but on this case, federal law precludes us from doing so.”

[boston bean]

3. that is how I read the article and why I posted it.

[Cerridwen]

4. Thanks.

Now that I think on it a bit, I think the logical order might be more:

texas legislators endanger lives of women and families living in poverty.
texas legislators thumb noses at federal regulations.
rick perry says they'll 'make up the difference'. Texans wonder from where and how.
White House asks for a plan to supplement programs.
rick perry says 'no prob'.
White House follows federal regulations.
right-wing talking points blame the White House for endangering the lives of women and families living in poverty.

Hmmm, feels like I missed something there.

Oh well, there's always eternal editing.