Texas cuts Planned Parenthood from Medicaid funding

Texas will officially cut Planned Parenthood out of their state’s Medicaid program following a series of delays, the Texas Tribune reported.

According to the Tribune, state health officials delivered a final legal notice Tuesday that funds from Texas’ Medicaid program will not go to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. Planned Parenthood had previously received $3.1 million in Medicaid funding in the state.

In the final notice, Texas Health and Human Services Inspector General Stuart Bowen wrote that undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress showed “that Planned Parenthood violated state and federal law."

Bowen wrote that the videos show Planned Parenthood "deviating from accepted standards" and is evidence of their "willingness to charge more than the costs incurred for procuring fetal tissue."

“Your misconduct is directly related to whether you are qualified to provide medical services in a professionally competent, safe, legal and ethical manner,” Bowen wrote. “Your actions violate generally accepted medical standards, as reflected in state and federal law, and are Medicaid program violations that justify termination.”

Although Planned Parenthood has a 15-day period to request an administrative hearing with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, they plan to fight the decision in court.

"Planned Parenthood continues to serve Medicaid patients and will seek a preliminary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit filed in November 2015, following the state’s original threats to take action against Planned Parenthood’s patients," said Yvonne Gutierrez, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, the organization's lobbying arm, told the Tribune.

Planned Parenthood Texas Votes did not immediately return TheBlaze's request for comment.