Getting in on the witch hunt a little late:
Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday his administration is reviewing grant money being paid to Planned Parenthood to consider options going forward. The organization has come under fire due to a series of undercover videos purportedly showing officials from the group discussing the sale fetal tissue.
Faced with growing pressure from conservative Christian organizations to “defund” Planned Parenthood, the governor told reporters Monday that no state money goes for funding abortions in Iowa and most of the reimbursement money paid to the organization for family-planning and other services comes from federal sources.
“We’re going to look at the contracts to see what our rights and responsibilities are,” Branstad told his weekly news conference, adding “there is not a line item in the state budget for Planned Parenthood.”
The Iowa review comes at a time when anti-abortion and conservative groups are calling on Branstad to take steps similar to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to stop all state funding to Planned Parenthood. In the past, attempts by states to cut off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood have been successfully challenged in court.
Planned Parenthood has increasingly become the target of defunding efforts and criticism in the aftermath of the release of surreptitiously recorded videos that critics say show Planned Parenthood officials callously and illegally arranging the sale of fetal parts for profit.
Planned Parenthood says it does not profit from the transfer of fetal tissue, which is used in research, and accuses the group releasing deceptively edited versions of the videos. The organization says it recovers only its costs, which is legal.
Conservative groups like The Family Leader have called on Branstad also to launch an investigation and to be willing to prosecute Planned Parenthood officials in Iowa if any wrongdoing is uncovered. The governor said any probe of possible criminal wrongdoing would have to be conducted by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, but he noted none of the videos — which he called “outrageous and inappropriate” — that have surfaced originated in Iowa.
Polly Carver-Kimm, communications director for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said the health agency provides no contracted dollars to Planned Parenthood for family planning or non-abortion related health services.
A March 2014 memorandum from the state Department of Human Services to the Legislative Services Agency identified several Planned Parenthood agencies in Iowa as enrolled Medicaid providers that were reimbursed for clinical services topping $5.5 million in fiscal 2012 and $6.3 million in fiscal 2013. The reimbursements for provider services through the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise included exams, prenatal care, birth control pills, sterilizations and pregnancy prevention education programs.
DHS spokeswoman Amy Lorentzen McCoy said the payments were fees for service billings that would be reimbursements, not contracted services.
“The governor’s office has been in contact with DHS to confirm that no Medicaid funds are going to abortion-related procedures at Planned Parenthood,” she added.
“Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has been providing health care and education in Iowa for more than 80 years.” according to a statement issued Monday by Angie Remington, public relations manager for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “We play a significant role in the community health network, providing high-quality and affordable care to nearly 38,000 women and men in Iowa each year.
“In addition, we are the pre-eminent provider of health and sexual health education programs in Iowa and each year we reach nearly 44,000 women, men and young people through more than 2,500 programs in schools, community health centers, correctional facilities, at health fairs and at other community outreach events,” Remington added.
“As Gov. Branstad reviews the contracts that fund these programs, we certainly hope he also will carefully consider the impact that these programs have had on reducing rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections in Iowa, as well as increasing access to family planning services like well-woman exams and contraception.”
http://thegazette.com/branstad-administration-reviewing-planned-parenthood-contracts-20150817
Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday his administration is reviewing grant money being paid to Planned Parenthood to consider options going forward. The organization has come under fire due to a series of undercover videos purportedly showing officials from the group discussing the sale fetal tissue.
Faced with growing pressure from conservative Christian organizations to “defund” Planned Parenthood, the governor told reporters Monday that no state money goes for funding abortions in Iowa and most of the reimbursement money paid to the organization for family-planning and other services comes from federal sources.
“We’re going to look at the contracts to see what our rights and responsibilities are,” Branstad told his weekly news conference, adding “there is not a line item in the state budget for Planned Parenthood.”
The Iowa review comes at a time when anti-abortion and conservative groups are calling on Branstad to take steps similar to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to stop all state funding to Planned Parenthood. In the past, attempts by states to cut off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood have been successfully challenged in court.
Planned Parenthood has increasingly become the target of defunding efforts and criticism in the aftermath of the release of surreptitiously recorded videos that critics say show Planned Parenthood officials callously and illegally arranging the sale of fetal parts for profit.
Planned Parenthood says it does not profit from the transfer of fetal tissue, which is used in research, and accuses the group releasing deceptively edited versions of the videos. The organization says it recovers only its costs, which is legal.
Conservative groups like The Family Leader have called on Branstad also to launch an investigation and to be willing to prosecute Planned Parenthood officials in Iowa if any wrongdoing is uncovered. The governor said any probe of possible criminal wrongdoing would have to be conducted by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, but he noted none of the videos — which he called “outrageous and inappropriate” — that have surfaced originated in Iowa.
Polly Carver-Kimm, communications director for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said the health agency provides no contracted dollars to Planned Parenthood for family planning or non-abortion related health services.
A March 2014 memorandum from the state Department of Human Services to the Legislative Services Agency identified several Planned Parenthood agencies in Iowa as enrolled Medicaid providers that were reimbursed for clinical services topping $5.5 million in fiscal 2012 and $6.3 million in fiscal 2013. The reimbursements for provider services through the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise included exams, prenatal care, birth control pills, sterilizations and pregnancy prevention education programs.
DHS spokeswoman Amy Lorentzen McCoy said the payments were fees for service billings that would be reimbursements, not contracted services.
“The governor’s office has been in contact with DHS to confirm that no Medicaid funds are going to abortion-related procedures at Planned Parenthood,” she added.
“Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has been providing health care and education in Iowa for more than 80 years.” according to a statement issued Monday by Angie Remington, public relations manager for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “We play a significant role in the community health network, providing high-quality and affordable care to nearly 38,000 women and men in Iowa each year.
“In addition, we are the pre-eminent provider of health and sexual health education programs in Iowa and each year we reach nearly 44,000 women, men and young people through more than 2,500 programs in schools, community health centers, correctional facilities, at health fairs and at other community outreach events,” Remington added.
“As Gov. Branstad reviews the contracts that fund these programs, we certainly hope he also will carefully consider the impact that these programs have had on reducing rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections in Iowa, as well as increasing access to family planning services like well-woman exams and contraception.”
http://thegazette.com/branstad-administration-reviewing-planned-parenthood-contracts-20150817
