Months After a Missouri Court Ruled “Defunding” of Planned Parenthood Unconstitutional, Legislature Again Seeks to Block Essential Health Care
For Immediate Release: May 5, 2023
Only months after a Missouri judge ruled “defunding” Planned Parenthood violated the state’s constitution by refusing to reimburse care through the Medicaid program, the legislature today passed a budget that again blocks repayment for care to patients. Should Governor Parson sign the bill, it would bar the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) from reimbursing Planned Parenthood for services covered under MO HealthNet — the State’s Medicaid program — including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and other non-abortion care.
The repeated attempts to “defund” Planned Parenthood – defying a 2020 state Supreme Court ruling declaring it unconstitutional – violate federal Medicaid law, which protects every patient’s freedom to choose any willing and qualified provider for family planning care.
Statement from Emily Wales, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes
“In a state that consistently ranks among the worst for health care access, coupled with a high uninsured population, you would think conservative politicians would expand access to life-saving preventative care. Instead, they are wasting time and critical tax dollars in another baseless attempt to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood. Missouri Courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood, but the legislature is desperate to keep trying at the expense of the health and well-being of underserved communities. While they’re focused on putting politics before people, we’ll continue fighting so that everyone can have access to high quality health care.”
According to the Missouri Family Health Council, in 2022, Planned Parenthood health centers served 52 percent of all patients who rely on family planning safety net providers in the state. Other providers cannot absorb the thousands of patients impacted by defunding laws. That’s why Planned Parenthood health centers have vowed to keep serving MO HealthNet patients at no cost.