{"id":4332,"date":"2011-06-01T22:55:34","date_gmt":"2011-06-02T03:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stonescryout.org\/?p=4332"},"modified":"2011-06-01T22:55:34","modified_gmt":"2011-06-02T03:55:34","slug":"hhs-to-indiana-pay-for-abortions-or-lose-medicaid-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stonescryout.org\/?p=4332","title":{"rendered":"HHS to Indiana: Pay for Abortions Or Lose Medicaid Funding"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indianapolis Star<\/a> has the story:<\/p>\n

Federal officials said Wednesday that the new Indiana law cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood violates Medicaid rules \u2014 a determination that could cost the state millions and possibly even billions of dollars.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informed state officials by letter that it was denying Indiana\u2019s new Medicaid plan because states can\u2019t pick and choose where recipients receive health-care services.<\/p>\n

What happens next is, at best, a guess. But almost certain is that it will add fuel to a legal and political battle likely to be watched closely across the nation.<\/p>\n

An HHS official would not comment on what happens if Indiana does not change its law, though one possible ramification would be withholding funding.<\/p>\n

Indiana relies on about $4 million in federal Medicaid family planning funds and more than $4 billion in total Medicaid dollars.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sounds like gangster government at work here. From the same report:<\/p>\n

Anti-abortion activists challenged the Obama administration\u2019s interpretation of federal Medicaid policy, saying they believe states do have authority to defund Planned Parenthood and called the letter a strong-arm tactic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not surprised by it,\u201d said Indiana Right to Life Legislative Director Sue Swayze. \u201cThis is the most pro-abortion president we\u2019ve ever had. It almost feels like they\u2019re bullying the state of Indiana over the wishes of our legislative branch.\u201d<\/p>\n

President Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, said, \u201c(HHS) Secretary (Kathleen) Sebelius is strong-arming states like Indiana to protect the administration\u2019s powerful ally Planned Parenthood.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to the Associated Press report<\/a>, Indiana attorney general Greg Zoeller intends to continue defending the statute.<\/p>\n

Planned Parenthood is already challenging the statute in court. The actions of HHS will only add another layer of litigation to this battle.<\/p>\n

Hat tip: Jonathan Adler<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Indianapolis Star has the story: Federal officials said Wednesday that the new Indiana law cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood violates Medicaid rules \u2014 a determination that could cost the state millions and possibly even billions of dollars. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informed state officials by letter that it was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,14,26,12],"tags":[1033,613,148],"class_list":["post-4332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-abortion","category-culture","category-politics","category-tom","tag-abortion","tag-indiana","tag-planned-parenthood"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t