Indiana Will Enforce Illegal Law To Defund Planned Parenthood, May Lose All Medicaid Funds

[Donnachaidh]

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/02/234689/indiana-planned-parenthood-illegallaw-medicaid/

In the race to be the first, the Indiana GOP plowed through common sense and internal opposition to pass a law stripping Planned Parenthood of public funding. When signing the bill, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) said non-abortion services would “remain readily available” from other providers. In reality, by signing the law, Daniels jeopardized federal funding for all family planning and health care providers and, as a result, access to health care for thousands of low-income Hoosiers.

Because the law bans Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds in Indiana, it violates a federal law that prevents any state from denying payment to health care clinics that provide a “constitutionally protected service.” Finding Indiana in blatant violation of this law, the U.S Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Don Berwick rejected the law and notified the state that it may lose “all federal funding of its Medicaid program.” But rather than reconsider the drastic move, Indiana will “defy” CMS and continue to implement the law:

Indiana plans to defy an Obama administration letter and continue barring Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding — a move that, if continued, could cost the state more than $4 billion in Medicaid funds. <...>

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration plans to continue implementing the legislation, signed by Gov. Mitch Daniels last month, that defunded Planned Parenthood.

More at the link --

[liberal N proud]

1. For the GOP that is a win - win

Make it harder to get a safe abortion and kill medicare. Two birds/one stone in their eyes.


Evil bastards.

[LiberalLoner]

2. Yup. I hope they rot in hell. n/t

[LiberalLoner]

3. Oh and what they ought to do is defund highways or something that

affects the rich too, not just Medicaid which only affects the poor.

[liberal N proud]

6. They can't burden the rich like that

[Demeter]

4. It's time to start arresting and prosecuting

for violation of oath of office, treason, and crimes against humanity.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. The extremists seem to be fishing for another Civil War.

Not that they'll get it, but lots of other bad stuff will happen.

[modestybl]

7. Well, elections have consequences don't they?

As disgusting as the the republican governance of Mich, Ind, Fla, Ohio and NJ has been, people only got what they voted for. This may be for the long term good, as these guys always go to the extremes with a little power, and reveal who they are. Unfortunately, a lot of good people suffer. But how many of them didn't vote because they were pissed off at Dems? Or, in some cases, actually voted for the Repubs?

We get the governments we collectively deserve. Get out and protest... but get yourself and your friends out to vote.

[Ship of Fools]

8. it's otay, panky

they'll just slash something else to make up for the $4B

[LetTimmySmoke]

9. The GOP wants to fight a War on Drugs, a War on Terror, a War on Education, and a War...

...on several countries. Why not a War on Women while they are at it?

[Initech]

10. It's just war on everyone who's not a privileged, old, fat, white male at this point.

[kestrel91316]

11. Hey, Indiana WANTS to lose Medicaid funds, so all those slackers and

lazy freeloaders will have to depart for some OTHER state in order to get any medical care.

Works perfectly for the good people of IN, I'm sure.