Texas continues to hate on women!

Surprise, the Texas Women’s Health Program (WHP) (you may have seen the new graphic that looks like it came from the Barbie Doctor set) will not be launching today. Of course this is contradictory to Texas officials who have claimed that the program would be seeing clients without including the Planned Parenthood. Suck it nerds. 

Kyle Janek, Texas Health and Human Services’ executive commissioner, made the announcement yesterday that the state will take federal funds, keeping the Medicaid Women’s Health Program in place, which is different from the state program and doesn’t ban the Planned Parenthood from participating. 

RH Reality Check had the story by Andrea Grimes. So this means what? Someone in Texas figured out what the Planned Parenthood does and cares about women’s health? Probably not. However, the Planned Parenthood will continue seeing about 50,000 clients who visit the Women’s Health Program (half the enrollees who rely on them for pap smears and contraception). Don’t worry, Gov. Rick Perry had this to say, “HHSC has been working to line up providers across the state for the new Texas WHO.”

Clearly, this thing is ready to roll except that it isn’t. Janek claimed before the state had providers ready to pick up the clients who are currently going to the Planned Parenthood. He said he had “five family planning clinics and more than 70 individual physicians waiting to take the place of every clinic that won’t qualify under the new rule.”

Really, Kyle? I wonder how those private physicians feel about the un- and under-insured. They must feel so good about it this shit-show isn’t getting off the ground. I hope I don’t sound too smug; actually I don’t care. They’ll find a way to cut the Planned Parenthood out, but I do like that it is harder than they thought it would be. It feels a little like Komen’s all over again. Come at us, bro. The Planned Parenthood gives so much too so many women. Come to think of it, I can’t think of a female friend who hasn’t benefited from them at some point. But I digress. 

RH Reality Check asked the Texas Health and Human Services repeatedly for a list of the non-Planned Parenthood qualified providers, and they received nothing. As many (or all) of you remember this comes from Texas classifying the Planned Parenthood as an abortion “affiliate,” which because of the new law being enforced, but not enacted, disqualifies the Planned Parenthood from participating in the WHP. 

The federal government disagrees with the exclusion of the Planned Parenthood. The Center for Medicaid Services said they will cut off federal funds for the WHP at the end of the year if Texas excludes the Planned Parenthood. So, it all comes down to money, well, I’m sure Texas, being Texas don’t rely too much on the big federal government. Wait…over the last few years 90% of the WHP funding came from the federal government. Texas would have to fund the $40 million program all on its own. 

The Planned Parenthood filed two lawsuits (one in federal court and one in state court) challenging the Texas ruling, and of course both are pending. The state of Texas said in October they would shut down the WHP if the courts compel the inclusion of the Planned Parenthood. This would leave more than 100,000 low-income Texas women without contraception and cancer screenings. 

At least everyone has their priorities straight. I’d like to see if Texas is going to make good on their threat. I can’t really see it given the rise in overall costs if preventative care goes out the window, but alright game on Texas. This just goes to show how little politicians and elected officials care about women’s health. It has become a political chip tossed about completely ignoring the women (specifically poor women) who benefit from the services provided.