You've heard us say it before: the attacks on abortion access, birth control, Planned Parenthood health centers and other providers -- these aren't separate, isolated incidents. They are all part of a coordinated campaign to block access to care and eliminate our right to control our own bodies.
We knew these attacks weren't going to stop just because the anti-abortion rights movement succeeded in overturning Roe v. Wade. Right now, their campaign is playing out in a Texas courthouse -- and what happens next will affect all of us. I need you to know what’s happening, so you can be ready to take action.
The state of Texas and an anonymous plaintiff are suing the three Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas and Planned Parenthood Federation of America for more than $1.8 billion. The lawsuit is based on a false allegation that Planned Parenthood health centers defrauded the state's Medicaid system by getting reimbursed for birth control and other basic health care services. Let me be clear: Planned Parenthood did not commit Medicaid fraud and we've absolutely followed the law.
The plaintiffs aren't claiming that Planned Parenthood health centers failed to deliver excellent care. They're saying that patients who rely on Medicaid shouldn’t have been able to receive this care from Planned Parenthood affiliates -- even though a court ruled that Planned Parenthood affiliates could provide these services throughout the period in question.
Here's how cynical, dishonest, and dangerous this lawsuit is: Texas knew Planned Parenthood affiliates were providing the services, reimbursed them for the services, and never asked the affiliates to repay the state -- for five years. Now, they're suing. The Medicaid payments totaled less than $17 million -- but Texas and an anonymous plaintiff are demanding $1.8 billion in penalties.
These allegations are meritless and have nothing to do with the law. This is about the state of Texas abusing their power by trying to take away Texans' access to sexual and reproductive health care and shut down Planned Parenthood.
We've seen the kind of damage a single state can do when it weaponizes the federal courts to manipulate the law. When Texas's S.B. 8 abortion ban went into effect, other states rushed to pass copycat bans. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion, the attacks on abortion access and other sexual and reproductive health care are getting worse.
This baseless lawsuit is just another attempt to smear Planned Parenthood, and deny patients access to sexual and reproductive health care. We've faced these attacks before -- from Congress attempting to defund Planned Parenthood health centers to the Trump administration cutting health centers out of the Title X program, which provides people with low incomes with reproductive health care, to the endless attacks by state lawmakers.
But we're still here. Our doors are still open. And we're not going anywhere. Because no matter what they throw at us, our first priority is always protecting the health and rights of the patients who rely on Planned Parenthood every day.
We'll follow up with updates as this case develops. In the meantime, stay informed, stay ready, and remember what we’re up against. As always, we're going to be counting on Planned Parenthood supporters like you to help protect access to care, no matter what.
Alexis McGill Johnson, President & CEO
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
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