Lankford Introduces Bill to Prevent Medicaid Money from Supporting Abortion-Providers

WASHINGTON, DC  – US Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Women’s Public Health and Safety Act, S. 4658, which gives states the authority to exclude abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. Under current law, states are required to allow any qualified provider to participate in a state’s Medicaid system. A non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that Planned Parenthood received $1.2 billion in Medicaid reimbursements over a three year period, accounting for 80 percent of the abortion provider’s joint federal-state funding stream. Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX 27) introduced identical legislation in the US House of Representatives, as well.

“Abortion isn’t healthcare and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to support the largest abortion-providers in the country under the guise of women’s healthcare,” said Lankford. “This bill allows states to ensure that tax dollars support the thousands of health care providers without the worry that tax dollars will also contribute to abortion services at organizations like Planned Parenthood. We can simultaneously stand for the unborn while also supporting fundamental, quality health services for women everywhere.”

“For too long, abortion providers have operated on the taxpayer’s dime, while performing elective abortions in the name of ‘healthcare’,” said Cloud. “Sixty percent of Americans object to taxpayer-funded abortions. Yet abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, have access to billions in state Medicaid dollars — which the taxpayer reimburses at 90 percent for family planning services. Sen. Lankford and I are seeking to empower states to end federal subsidies for abortion providers and to ensure quality healthcare is made available to women.”

Lankford was joined in introducing the bill by Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jim Risch (R-ID), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Jerry Moran (R-KS). Cloud was joined by 50 cosponsors in introducing the House companion.  

Lankford has supported similar legislation like the Protect Funding for Women’s Health Care Act,  a bill that redirected taxpayer funds from Planned Parenthood to other eligible women’s health care providers that don’t perform abortions. He was also an original sponsor of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act which would establish a permanent, government-wide prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortions. Lankford has also applauded the Trump Administration’s efforts to defund abortion providers through Title X rule changes.

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