Cloud, Lankford Introduce Bill to Prevent Medicaid Funds From Supporting Abortion-Providers

Contact: Savannah Frasier | (202) 225-7742 | Savannah.Frasier@mail.house.gov

Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Women’s Public Health and Safety Act, 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.  

“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.” 

“Abortion isn’t healthcare and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to support the largest abortion-providers in the country under the guise of quality women’s healthcare,” said Lankford. “This bill allows states to ensure that tax dollars support the thousands of women’s 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 health services for women everywhere.” 

Cloud has supported the Trump Administration’s Title X rule change which prohibited Title X funding recipients from being co-located with an abortion provider. This single-handedly made organizations like Planned Parenthood ineligible for this type of taxpayer funding. Cloud is also a cosponsor of the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act (H.R. 296) which would codify the Trump rule into law.  

Cloud applauded the Trump administration for granting Texas a 1115 waiver, which approved the Healthy Texas Women demonstration, prioritizing life over abortion within state family planning services. Texas is fortunate to have been granted a waiver, but other states are still restricted by lower courts’ misinterpretation of Medicaid law. For this reason, Cloud introduced the Women’s Public Health and Safety Act. This legislation is good for Texans, the unborn, and American taxpayers.  

Fifty cosponsors joined Congressman Cloud’s bill. The full text of the bill is available here.