Planned Parenthood is one step closer to being defunded in Texas. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a federal judge’s preliminary injunction that blocked the state cutting Medicaid funding to the abortion provider.
Planned Parenthood in Texas gets up to 3.4-million dollars from Medicaid each year.
The three judge panel ruled that US District Judge Sam Sparks of Austin used an incorrect standard in his decision, saying he was too “dismissive” of a report from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General that was used as the basis for revoking Planned Parenthood’s eligibility for Medicaid funding. The OIG report concluded the healthcare provider had diverged from “standards of medical ethics” after seeing an undercover video of Planned Parenthood officials illegally discussing the sale of fetal tissue from aborted babies. The video was produced by a pro-life group, the Center for Medical Progress.
Judge Sparks also admitted he had not reviewed the eight-hour video before issuing his injunction.
Planned Parenthood issued a statement on Friday saying, “it is completely outrageous that officials are using thoroughly discredited, fraudulent videos to try to cut women off from preventive health care, including cancer screenings, HIV testing, and birth control.”