Planned Parenthood Federation of America

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The state of Texas and an anonymous plaintiff are waging yet another attack on Planned Parenthood by suing Planned Parenthood Texas affiliates and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Last month, federal judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard oral arguments in this case — which means he could rule at any moment. If you haven't been following this case closely, now is the time to get caught up.

This lawsuit falsely claims that Planned Parenthood committed Medicaid fraud, and seeks damages of $1.8 billion — enough to force health centers across Texas to shut down and cut patients off from care.

This lawsuit is baseless. Planned Parenthood did not commit Medicaid fraud. Period.

This is part of a decades-long effort to try to shut Planned Parenthood down and eliminate access to affordable sexual and reproductive health care.

Take a look at how the state of Texas and anti-abortion activists have been working to shut down Planned Parenthood for years. Then, add your name to demand that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott end this baseless attack on Planned Parenthood health centers.

Texas Attacks Planned Parenthood: A Timeline

	2011 : Texas slashes funding to the state's family planning program and starts a new plan that blocks providers like Planned Parenthood from the small amount of funding that remained.¹
	2012 : Texas tries to exclude Planned Parenthood from the state's federally funded family planning expansion program — but the Obama administration refuses to approve this exclusion.²
	2013 : Texas gets rid of the 2012 expansion program for the sole purpose of excluding Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.³
	2015 : Texas announces they will terminate Planned Parenthood's Medicaid contracts.⁴ Separately, Gov. Abbott passes a budget that banned Planned Parenthood from the state's Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program.⁵
	2017 : A federal court issues a preliminary injunction blocking the Medicaid termination, finding that Texas did not have "a scintilla of evidence" for the termination. The court rules that Planned Parenthood health centers can continue to provide care for Medicaid patients. Based on this clear ruling from a federal court, health centers in Texas are able to continue to provide health care to the patients who rely on them.⁶
	2020 : The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit doesn't dispute the district court's finding that Texas had no evidence to support kicking Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid, but rules on procedural grounds that plaintiffs did not have a legal right to challenge Texas's actions. The state is therefore allowed to terminate the Texas Planned Parenthood providers from Medicaid, and does so following the ruling.⁷
	Feb. 2021 : An anonymous plaintiff, later joined by the state of Texas, files a baseless lawsuit against three Planned Parenthood Texas affiliates and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The plaintiffs demand $1.8 billion in damages from Planned Parenthood for getting Medicaid reimbursements between 2017 and 2020 — even though the 2017 federal court ruling was clear that Planned Parenthood Texas affiliates could remain Medicaid providers during this time.⁸
	Sep. 2021 : Texas passes S.B. 8, banning abortion around six weeks of pregnancy and empowering private citizens to enforce the law by suing anyone — providers, friends, family members — who helps a patient get an abortion in Texas.⁹
	Jun. 2022 : Roe v. Wade is overturned. Abortion in Texas is quickly banned in full (with three overlapping abortion bans).
	2023 (Now!) : Planned Parenthood is defending itself in court against the baseless lawsuit brought by the state of Texas and the anonymous plaintiff. Judge Kacsmaryk could rule on some or all of the issues any day now. If Planned Parenthood is ordered to pay the $1.8 billion, the people of Texas, as well as other parts of the country, could face an even more devastating reality: Planned Parenthood health centers may be forced to shut down.

Over the past ten years, the state of Texas has systematically blocked patients who rely on public health programs from getting care.

The consequences have already been devastating. Texans now have substantially less access to care and worse health outcomes. This lawsuit could make it even harder for people to get sexual and reproductive health care — especially women, people with low incomes, and other communities who have historically faced barriers to care due to discrimination and racism.

Patients' health and safety are at stake. Tell Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to drop this politically-motivated lawsuit and end their attacks on Planned Parenthood health centers and patients.

Sign the Petition

Thank you for continuing to advocate for reproductive freedom and the rights of patients seeking essential health care.

We'll keep you updated as this case develops.

Jacqueline Ayers, Senior Vice President of Policy, Campaigns, Advocacy
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

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¹ Huffpost, Texas Loses Entire Women's Health Program Over Planned Parenthood Law
² Planned Parenthood, "Defund" Attacks on Planned Parenthood in Texas
³ Planned Parenthood, Texans to Perry: Don't Mess With Texas Women
⁴ Planned Parenthood, The Top 5 Things You Need to Know Right Now About Attacks on Reproductive Health in Texas
⁵ Planned Parenthood, Texas Governor Signs Measure Blocking Low-Income Women's Access to Cancer Screenings
⁶ CNN, Texas cuts Planned Parenthood from Medicaid
⁷ Planned Parenthood, Federal Court Allows Texas Politicians to Block Health Care Access for Medicaid Patients
⁸ Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood Texas Affiliates and PPFA Move for Decision in Baseless Medicaid False Claims Act Case
⁹ Planned Parenthood, Is Abortion Banned in Texas Under S.B. 8?

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