In 2022, the state of Texas filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood, alleging that the organization improperly billed Medicaid for $10 million during the time the state was attempting to remove Planned Parenthood from the program. Texas is pursuing $1.8 billion as part of the lawsuit. However, Planned Parenthood says this claim is false and that there was an injunction in place still allowing the organization to bill Medicaid during the time stated. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard arguments back in August but has yet to make a decision regarding the case.
Just as Planned Parenthood says, this lawsuit is bogus. There is no evidence that they defrauded Medicaid, and there are countless documents proving their innocence. Despite the organization ceasing abortions due to a Texas law that prohibits abortion, conservatives are still trying to shut them down. That is why they chose Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, because it is known that he previously worked on anti-abortion cases as a religious liberty lawyer at First Liberty Institute. They are hoping that his obvious bias will sway the lawsuit in their favor, despite not having a real case.
A recent study conducted by ValuePenguin determined that Texas is the worst state in the country regarding high-quality prenatal and maternal care. If Texas wins, this will completely bankrupt Texas’ Planned Parenthood facilities, forcing them to shut down. This would be devastating for Texans who rely on them for basic healthcare, such as access to birth control and STI testing. Judge Kacsmaryk needs to do his job and rule in favor of Planned Parenthood, and conservatives need to stop coming after the organization for the simple act of providing healthcare to people in need.
