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[cameron]

AP via CBS St.Louis: "MO Pays Millions to Bar Medicaid from Planned Parenthood"

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Missouri lawmakers passed a budget last week that spends millions in state money to block Planned Parenthood from accessing federal funding.

The plan puts Missouri alongside at least a dozen other states in a national effort to strip public money from the country’s largest abortion provider. The federal government says states don’t have the authority to steer Medicaid funding away from Planned Parenthood, and courts have blocked some of those efforts. But Missouri’s budget writers say eliminating federal dollars from women’s health programs means federal restrictions no longer apply.

The Legislature rejected more than $8.3 million in federal Medicaid funding the state was slated to receive for family planning, sexually transmitted disease testing and pelvic exams at county health departments, other clinics and Planned Parenthood. They replaced it with money from Missouri’s general revenues, leaving the total unchanged at $10.8 million, and stipulated that none of it could go to organizations that provide abortions, as Planned Parenthood does.

Government money cannot fund non-emergency abortions, but states are prohibited from otherwise blocking Medicaid dollars from abortion providers for services such as vaccinations and cancer screenings a rule the federal government reiterated Tuesday in a letter to state Medicaid directors.

When lawmakers initially proposed blocking Medicaid payments from Planned Parenthood in March, budget staffers estimated less than $400,000 in Medicaid payments go to Missouri’s 13 Planned Parenthood clinics for procedures and drugs.

Planned Parenthood serves more than 50,000 patients per year in Missouri, and about 7,000 of them are on Medicaid, said Sarah Felts, a spokeswoman for the organization. Planned Parenthood will continue accepting Medicaid patients “no matter what,” she said.

Medicaid patients can still go to county health departments, rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers, said Sen. Kurt Schaefer, the Columbia Republican who chairs the appropriations committee.

“If someone wants to go to Planned Parenthood, they’re free to do that,” he said. “Taxpayers in Missouri just aren’t going to pay for it anymore.”

Rep. Stacey Newman, a St. Louis Democrat, said it was reckless for the Legislature to refuse more than $8 million from the federal government “just because we feel like it.”

More in the link.

 

[WillyFive]

So much effort to make life worse for everyone.

 

[Banana Aeon]

And what does this accomplish? Why do people go out of their way to strip rights away from women?

 

[Douche McBaggins The 3rd]

Can we remove ALL federal aid to the south? Get rid of food stamps too. Because only the lazy use them. For fuck sakes. The souf hates everyone not them.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Can we remove ALL federal aid to the south? Get rid of food stamps too. Because only the lazy use them. For fuck sakes. The souf hates everyone not them.

First off, your post sucks.

Secondly, your geography skills suck. Missouri is not in the south.

 

[RobotHaus]

St Louis and Kansas City are just dragged down by the backwater of middle Missouri.

 

[Aaronology]

Can we remove ALL federal aid to the south? Get rid of food stamps too. Because only the lazy use them. For fuck sakes. The souf hates everyone not them.

What does this have to do with Missouri, tho?

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

Can we remove ALL federal aid to the south? Get rid of food stamps too. Because only the lazy use them. For fuck sakes. The souf hates everyone not them.

Missouri is not the south. That said, this still sucks.

 

[Vicetrailia]

"Just because" is the nature of their principal.

 

[Dalek]

Funny enough my wife went to grad school in St. Louis and she insists its considered the south. I grew up in South Carolina and I assured her it most certainly is not. I guess there are people who think so however.

 

[Douche McBaggins The 3rd]

What does this have to do with Missouri, tho?

I dunno. Pick and choose what federal aid they want. Either take all of it or none of it. I hate pick and choose when it comes to this stuff. It just reeks of selective entitlement while destroying a majority.

 

[Maxim726X]

Ahh yes... The party of fiscal responsibility, pissing away money.

 

[a Master Ninja]

If I was a state politician I'm not sure I'd ever turn down Federal aid. Free money.

Missouri is not the south.

It feels like the South.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

Funny enough my wife went to grad school in St. Louis and she insists its considered the south. I grew up in South Carolina and I assured her it most certainly is not. I guess there are people who think so however.

It's in between. Not that hard. Fought in the union but slavery was allowed.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Funny enough my wife went to grad school in St. Louis and she insists its considered the south. I grew up in South Carolina and I assured her it most certainly is not. I guess there are people who think so however.

Most of us consider ourselves from the Midwest.

 

[CreepingFear]

These people trying to hurt woman's health are just plain evil. They are the American Taliban, just different methods.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Missouri: The North's Alabama

 

[Juice]

My (white) relatives in MO all identify as southern.

They certainly fit the bill culturally

 

[Servizio]

.

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

Seriously, I know "not all republicans," but fuck ALL republicans.

 

[Kurdel]

Pure evil

 

[Wilsongt]

Instead of using Missouri's tax dollars in addition to the federal money to do something useful in the state, they are instead using Missouri's tax dollars, rejecting millions in additional money all to regulate what happens inside a woman's vagina.

Oh boy.

 

[KibblesBits]

Misery in Missouri?
You don't say...

 

[Tragicomedy]

Instead of using Missouri's tax dollars in addition to the federal money to do something useful in the state, they are instead using Missouri's tax dollars, rejecting millions in additional money all to regulate what happens inside a woman's vagina.

Oh boy.

The Missouri Way!

 

[RobotHaus]

The biggest thing about all this crap coming from Republican officials is I'm surprised more Democrats and independents aren't swarming the polls come any election day to keep them out.

 

[pa22word]

These people trying to hurt woman's health are just plain evil. They are the American Taliban, just different methods.

yeaaaaah

that's enough internet for today alright

 

[cameron]

Article from a few weeks ago. AP: "State-by-state Strategy Wielded to Defund Planned Parenthood"

NEW YORK (AP) — Though congressional Republicans' bid to defund Planned Parenthood was vetoed by President Barack Obama, anti-abortion activists and politicians are achieving a growing portion of their goal with an aggressive state-by-state strategy.

Over the past year, more than a dozen states have sought to halt or reduce public funding for Planned Parenthood. The latest to join the offensive is Florida; GOP Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday that bars Planned Parenthood from accessing state funds.

Defunding has been blocked by court action in some states. But cutbacks in other states are forcing Planned Parenthood to drop contraceptive services, health screenings and other programs serving thousands of low-income women.

"It's been a non-stop assault — with devastating consequences for the patients we serve," said Dawn Laguens, Planned Parenthood's executive vice president. "At what point do you hit a tipping point where it has same impact as if a federal bill had passed?"

TEXAS

Texas was one of the first states to target Planned Parenthood's funding, saying it would not send Medicaid funds to organizations that provided abortions. The Republican-led state government culminated a multiyear effort by ousting Planned Parenthood from the Texas Women's Health Program in 2013 and opting to fund the program entirely with state money so it would not run afoul of federal law.

Dr. Paul Fine, medical director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, said the move affected health screenings and contraceptive services for more than 13,000 low-income women, many of them in areas with limited health care alternatives.

Charitable donations covered some of the lost funding, Fine said, but overall Planned Parenthood has seen a shift to more patients paying in cash or relying on commercial health insurance.

WISCONSIN

In Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood has been the target of defunding efforts since Republican Gov. Scott Walker took office in 2011. Walker signed a bill that year eliminating all state funding for Planned Parenthood health centers, contributing to the closure of five rural clinics.

In February, Walker signed two bills that together are expected to cost Planned Parenthood $8 million per year in federal funds — including $3.5 million for family planning. The bills require state health officials to seek federal funding in the future on behalf of "less controversial providers."

Nicole Safar, government relations director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her organization has not yet decided whether to challenge the bills in court.

If the cutbacks do take effect, Safar said, they would affect low-income women "who don't have anywhere else to go."

OHIO

Amid his presidential campaign, Ohio's GOP Gov. John Kasich signed a bill in February designed to strip about $1.3 million in government money from the state's Planned Parenthood affiliates. The funds, mostly federal, have supported HIV testing, promoted teen pregnancy prevention, and assisted nearly 2,800 new or expectant mothers last year.

Diego Espino, a vice president of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, said the cut would not force the organization to close any of its 28 health centers in the state.

"We're not going away," he said. "But this will deprive thousands of women of very essential services."

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

yeaaaaah

that's enough internet for today alright

It's hyperbolic (and they're clearly just throwing out The Newsroom quotes for cheap effect), but it's not entirely lacking a kernel of truth.

 

[GaimeGuy]

fuck all republicans

 

[Cipherr]

Fuck this fucking state and their assbackwards voters and politics. Cannot stand this bullshit.

 

[Jedi2016]

You know, my insurance has varying degrees of coverage based on what specific procedure or service I'm having done, not where I get it done. You don't want to cover abortions? Fine, don't. But these places do a hell of a lot more than just abortions, and it's sick and disgusting that they're going to take away all those other medical benefits that only punish the patients... the ones that are trying to afford pre-natal care and things that are actually good for people to have.

You know what? Fuck it, we'll go all-out. Doctors perform abortions, right? The U.S. should ban all doctors. That'll fix it, right?

These crotchety old fucks that are stuck in the 50s need to hurry up and die, and let some new blood start making some laws for a change.

 

[hodayathink]

Funny enough my wife went to grad school in St. Louis and she insists its considered the south. I grew up in South Carolina and I assured her it most certainly is not. I guess there are people who think so however.

Missouri is in this weird place where the north won't take them, but the south won't either. They technically were a part of the confederacy, so I generally would consider them southern.

 

[Maximus.]

So much effort to make life worse for everyone.

The American Dream.

 

[Marvie_3]

These people are such pieces of shit.

 

[Eye for an Eye]

Don't worry, Oklahoma is right there with them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...e-licenses-of-doctors-that-perform-abortions/

Under a bill passed by the legislature this week, doctors who perform abortions — defined in the measure as “unprofessional conduct” — would be barred from obtaining or renewing their medical licenses. The bill, now on the governor’s desk, would not apply to abortions performed to save a mother’s life, although the bill lacks similar exceptions for abortions performed in cases of rape or incest.

“This is our proper function, to protect life,” the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Nathan Dahm (R), said last month.

Oklahoma politicians have made it their mission year after year to restrict women’s access vital health care services, yet this total ban on abortion is a new low,” Amanda Allen, senior state legislative counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which advocates for abortion rights, said in a statement.

Btw, Missourri was the last state to join the Union as a Southern State. That's why they created the Missouri Compromise.

 

[Eye for an Eye]

Missouri is in this weird place where the north won't take them, but the south won't either. They technically were a part of the confederacy, so I generally would consider them southern.

That would actually go to Kansas. They were the last state to pick which side they wanted to be on. They were bombarded with Jayhawkers and Border Roughians trying to take over the population.


But even Indiana is considered to be a northern state and they're coming up with just as much bullshit as the rest of the south.

 

[fester]

You know, my insurance has varying degrees of coverage based on what specific procedure or service I'm having done, not where I get it done. You don't want to cover abortions? Fine, don't. But these places do a hell of a lot more than just abortions, and it's sick and disgusting that they're going to take away all those other medical benefits that only punish the patients... the ones that are trying to afford pre-natal care and things that are actually good for people to have.

You know what? Fuck it, we'll go all-out. Doctors perform abortions, right? The U.S. should ban all doctors. That'll fix it, right?

These crotchety old fucks that are stuck in the 50s need to hurry up and die, and let some new blood start making some laws for a change.

There are plenty of people in their 30s and 40s who were spoon-fed a fuckton of bullshit as children and will happily go on promoting this nonsense for years to come. My family is full of them.

 

[Tristam]

Missouri is in this weird place where the north won't take them, but the south won't either. They technically were a part of the confederacy, so I generally would consider them southern.

Missouri was admitted into the Union as a slave state but it never joined the Confederacy.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

You know, my insurance has varying degrees of coverage based on what specific procedure or service I'm having done, not where I get it done. You don't want to cover abortions? Fine, don't. But these places do a hell of a lot more than just abortions, and it's sick and disgusting that they're going to take away all those other medical benefits that only punish the patients... the ones that are trying to afford pre-natal care and things that are actually good for people to have.

You know what? Fuck it, we'll go all-out. Doctors perform abortions, right? The U.S. should ban all doctors. That'll fix it, right?

These crotchety old fucks that are stuck in the 50s need to hurry up and die, and let some new blood start making some laws for a change.

Not that I disagree with your overall sentiment, but the vast majority of health insurers DO discriminate based on provider. PPO, HMO, you will be covered for the same procedure at one doctor but not covered at all or covered at a lower rate for another doctor.

And that in and of itself isn't such a horrible thing.

 

[DragonSworne]

I can see now why the state lost it's NFL team.

Not that I disagree with your overall sentiment, but the vast majority of health insurers DO discriminate based on provider. PPO, HMO, you will be covered for the same procedure at one doctor but not covered at all or covered at a lower rate for another doctor.

And that in and of itself isn't such a horrible thing.

Most health insurance companies have a pretty quick process to add non participating doctors to their networks as long as that Doctor is willing to accept the rates or both parties agree to reasonable terms. This is pretty transparent to the patient. They even do single case agreements.

 

[DR2K]

How conservative....

 

[crackhead_bob]

For anyone who's been following the fallout from North Carolina's bathroom bill, can anyone estimate how long it will take before businesses and entertainers start pivoting on this issue like they have on gay rights?

This should be a no brainer, but it seems like for every story you hear about gay rights advancing, you hear just as many stories about reproductive right being struck down or stonewalled. I almost feel like the media is being complacent on this -- almost as if they have an interest in keeping this debate going.

Is it that those for gay rights are more diligent, or that those for reproductive rights are not engaged enough. And is there always the real possibility of gay rights winding up back to square one as those of us who support choice seemingly are at this point?

 

[IJoel]

Absolutely despicable. What's even sadder is that it's not surprising but rather expected of republican controlled states.

 

[dankir]

Keep holding those L's Southern United States....what a disaster.

 

[hodayathink]

Missouri was admitted into the Union as a slave state but it never joined the Confederacy.

The state governments stayed in the Union, but they kept slaves and had delegates in the Confederate Congress. That's enough for me to consider them part of the Confederacy.

 

[Wilsongt]

You know, my insurance has varying degrees of coverage based on what specific procedure or service I'm having done, not where I get it done. You don't want to cover abortions? Fine, don't. But these places do a hell of a lot more than just abortions, and it's sick and disgusting that they're going to take away all those other medical benefits that only punish the patients... the ones that are trying to afford pre-natal care and things that are actually good for people to have.

You know what? Fuck it, we'll go all-out. Doctors perform abortions, right? The U.S. should ban all doctors. That'll fix it, right?

These crotchety old fucks that are stuck in the 50s need to hurry up and die, and let some new blood start making some laws for a change.

As long as one fetus is saved to these people, fuck any downstream consequences including children being born into poverty and low income women not being able to obtain vital health screenings

 

[cameron]

For anyone who's been following the fallout from North Carolina's bathroom bill, can anyone estimate how long it will take before businesses and entertainers start pivoting on this issue like they have on gay rights?

This should be a no brainer, but it seems like for every story you hear about gay rights advancing, you hear just as many stories about reproductive right being struck down or stonewalled. I almost feel like the media is being complacent on this -- almost as if they have an interest in keeping this debate going.

Is it that those for gay rights are more diligent, or that those for reproductive rights are not engaged enough. And is there always the real possibility of gay rights winding up back to square one as those of us who support choice seemingly are at this point?

Most Americans appear to be on-board with marriage equality and are shifting towards advocating for better LGBT rights. Nonsense "religious liberty" laws by a certain group are just desperation. The abortion debate is much more divisive and brings down everything related to woman's reproductive health with it.

Pew Research Center: "On abortion, persistent divides between – and within – the two parties"

As Americans await a decision in the Supreme Court’s first abortion case in years, a slim majority (56%) now think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. About four-in-ten (41%) say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

The balance of opinion on this issue has ticked back toward support for legalization. Last fall, after the battle in Congress over funding for Planned Parenthood, the share of Americans in favor of abortion being legal in all or most cases took a slight dip (51% legal, 43% illegal).

The latest Pew Research Center political survey finds deep disagreement between – and within – the parties over many major issues, including abortion. In fact, the partisan divide on abortion is far more polarized than it was two decades ago.

By a wide margin (59% to 38%), Republicans say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. In 1995, Republicans were evenly divided (49% legal vs. 48% illegal).

Views among Democrats have shown less change over the past two decades. Today, 70% of Democrats say abortion should be legal in at least most cases; in 1995, 64% favored legal abortion in all or most cases.

Within both parties, there are ideological differences over abortion. Liberal Democrats are 24 percentage points more likely than conservative and moderate Democrats to favor abortion being legal in at least most cases (84% vs. 60%).

Among Republicans, 54% of the party’s moderates and liberals say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared with just 30% of conservative Republicans. Support for legal abortion among conservative Republicans has rebounded since last fall, when it fell to 16%, from 32% a year earlier.

 

[BBboy20]

Keep holding those L's Southern United States....what a disaster.

Um, what?

 

[Nobody Important]

Um, what?

 

[PopeReal]

How can so many people be so fucking stupid and so fucking cruel?