After Planned Parenthood took it to court in an attempt to preserve its taxpayer funding, Louisiana is cutting off a taxpayer-funded contract with Planned Parenthood once again after the abortion business was caught selling aborted babies and their body parts.
In August, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal canceled a state contract with Planned Parenthood that provides the abortion company with family planning funding through Medicaid. But Planned Parenthood went to court to block the move.
Now, according to news reports, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is tying a different approach — this one based on the fact that Planned Parenthood has been caught in other states engaging in Medicaid fraud.
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In Texas, Planned Parenthood was forced to repay the state $4.3 million after it was found to have participated in a massive Medicaid fraud scheme. A former employee of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast has filed a whistleblower’s complaint with the Attorney General of Texas and the U.S. Department of Justice. The PPGC employee alleges that the abortion business engaged in an elaborate Medicaid fraud scheme.
Karen Reynolds, who worked as a “health care assistant” from 1999 to 2009 at the Lufkin, Texas, branch of the affiliate formerly known as Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas, submitted company memos and emails to support her charge that PPGC has engaged in a systemwide scheme to bilk Medicaid, Title XX, and the Women’s Health Program of tens of millions of dollars over the course of at least a decade.
Reynolds alleges bosses trained employees to bill government agencies for medical and family planning services not rendered, for services no reasonable medical personnel would provide, and – the biggest bombshell – for abortion-related services fudged to appear as if they were not.
The Texas Attorney General found Planned Parenthood had defrauded the state after a thorough investigation.
Now, Louisiana is using that to de-fund Planned Parenthood. As the report indicates:
But a federal judge questioned that reasoning last week, asking the health department why it was appropriate to oust the organization if its clinics were competent to provide health care services. Planned Parenthood and three of its patients had filed a lawsuit, asking U.S. District Judge John deGravelles to consider halting Jindal’s maneuver.
In response, the Jindal administration has changed its plans and told deGravelles, according to court documents, that it will block Planned Parenthood’s clinics from the Medicaid program for cause. The administration effort is intended to force an end to the current lawsuit.
On Friday, the state Department of Health and Hospitals cited Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast’s $4.3 million settlement of false claims allegations in neighboring Texas as reason to kill its Louisiana Medicaid contract.
“During the course of the state investigation into Planned Parenthood, it was discovered that Planned Parenthood is in violation of long-standing administrative rules applicable to Medicaid providers,” health department spokeswoman Olivia Watkins Hwang said in a statement.
Louisiana says the Texas settlement makes it so Planned Parenthood has violated Medicaid rules as a whole — thus disqualifying it for funding in the Bayou State.
After the expose’ showed Planned Parenthood selling aborted babies,
Governor Jindal said, “In recent weeks, it has been shocking to see reports of the alleged activities taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities across the country. Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life. It has become clear that this is not an organization that is worthy of receiving public assistance from the state.”
Jindal’s office referenced the investigation he sought almost immediately after the first of four videos was released.
It said the governor is “multiple videos have surfaced showing Planned Parenthood Federation of America senior personnel and other employees describing how they actively engage in illegal partial birth abortion procedures and conduct these abortions in a manner that leaves body parts intact so that they can later be sold on the open market. Since these videos have surfaced, Governor Jindal has directed DHH to investigate Planned Parenthood’s activities in Louisiana and also sent a letter to both the Louisiana Inspector General and the F.B.I. asking them to assist in the investigation.”
According to the Medicaid provider contract between DHH and Planned Parenthood, along with relevant Louisiana law, either party can choose to cancel the contract at will after providing written notice.
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Jindal’s office said, “Governor Jindal and DHH decided to give the required 30-day notice to terminate the Planned Parenthood Medicaid provider contract because Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the State of Louisiana in regards to respecting human life. Pending the ongoing investigation, DHH reserves the right to amend the cancellation notice and terminate the provider agreement immediately should cause be determined.”
The governor said the state health department has “concerns that Planned Parenthood could be acting in violation of Louisiana law that states no person or group contracting with the state or receiving government assistance shall require or recommend that any woman have an abortion. The state investigation into Planned Parenthood remains ongoing.”
