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October 19, 2012

Texas Vows to End Heath Program if Planned Parenthood Allowed to Participate 
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Texas is threatening to shut down a state health program for low-income
women if the group Planned Parenthood continues to be involved. The
Texas program offers cancer and health screenings as well as birth
control services to some 130,000 low-income women, about 40 percent of
whom are served through Planned Parenthood. But Texas has sought to ban
Planned Parenthood from participating because they also provide
abortions. A federal appeals court is currently reviewing Planned
Parenthood's challenge to the ban. On Thursday, Texas Health and Human
Services Executive Commissioner Dr. Kyle Janek said: "If they prevail in
that case, and the courts say, ‘You have to include Planned
Parenthood,' then, yes, (the program) goes away." A recent George
Washington University study has warned Texas will be unlikely to provide
adequate care to the patients currently served by Planned Parenthood
should the ban be upheld.

 

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