There are a two little discussed facts that are highly relevant to the move in Congress to cut off funds from Planned Parenthood. These facts have nothing to do with the videos on which Planned Parenthood officials and others admit that Planned Parenthood sells body parts of aborted babies for profit, a federal crime. (I know that many on the left say that the videos don't show this, but I've seen the videos released so far and, in my opinion, the evidence is clear.) But back to the facts:
First of all, despite all the talk about how the federal government gives Planned Parenthood half a billion dollars each year, the relevant number is much less. The overwhelming bulk of federal money that goes to Planned Parenthood is in the form of reimbursement for patients on Medicaid. In other words, poor women come to the Planned Parenthood clinics for some health service and their Medicaid coverage pays for those services. Those Medicaid payments comprise nearly 90% of the total of federal funds going to Planned Parenthood.
Second, Congress cannot stop the Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood at the moment. The bill which Congress is now considering does not cover entitlement programs like Medicaid. Those are already funded.
It seems to me that given the little that can be done to change Planned Parenthood's funding right now, it would make more sense to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government for the next three months and to include in that resolution a requirement that the Justice Department conduct an expedited investigation of Planned Parenthood's practices regarding the sale of baby parts and to report back to Congress the results of that investigation no later than November 30th. The report would need to be certified by the Attorney General. Should the DOJ find that there is evidence that Planned Parenthood is indeed selling baby parts for profit (a federal crime) or should the DOJ fail to issue a final report by the assigned date, then any federal funding for Planned Parenthood would be suspended and the Planned Parenthood facilities would be dropped from the list of approved Medicaid providers.
First of all, despite all the talk about how the federal government gives Planned Parenthood half a billion dollars each year, the relevant number is much less. The overwhelming bulk of federal money that goes to Planned Parenthood is in the form of reimbursement for patients on Medicaid. In other words, poor women come to the Planned Parenthood clinics for some health service and their Medicaid coverage pays for those services. Those Medicaid payments comprise nearly 90% of the total of federal funds going to Planned Parenthood.
Second, Congress cannot stop the Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood at the moment. The bill which Congress is now considering does not cover entitlement programs like Medicaid. Those are already funded.
It seems to me that given the little that can be done to change Planned Parenthood's funding right now, it would make more sense to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government for the next three months and to include in that resolution a requirement that the Justice Department conduct an expedited investigation of Planned Parenthood's practices regarding the sale of baby parts and to report back to Congress the results of that investigation no later than November 30th. The report would need to be certified by the Attorney General. Should the DOJ find that there is evidence that Planned Parenthood is indeed selling baby parts for profit (a federal crime) or should the DOJ fail to issue a final report by the assigned date, then any federal funding for Planned Parenthood would be suspended and the Planned Parenthood facilities would be dropped from the list of approved Medicaid providers.
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