Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signs two bills to defund Planned Parenthood and to cut overspending at the organization.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed legislation in two separate bills that will limit the funding for Planned Parenthood, and redirect the money to other service providers. The bill passed in the state assembly by 60-35 votes.
The federal dollars under Title X funding will now be distributed to other women's health care clinics that do not provide abortions, as per one of the bills. This would imply that Planned Parenthood would lose as much as $3.5 million annually, according to media reports.
The other bill permits Planned Parenthood to only bill Medicaid for the actual cost of contraceptives, which can control overspending at the organization by as much as $4.5 million a year. Last year, a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood alleged that the healthcare provider routinely purchased contraceptives for $3, but billed Medicaid for $35 for the same.
"These bills require DHS [Department of Health Services] to apply for additional federal funding for women's health services to be obtained from less controversial providers and ensure prescription reimbursement processes are handled in a cost-based and transparent manner," Walker said in an official press release.
Planned Parenthood government relations officer Nicole Safar told The Associated Press that the bills appear to target Planned Parenthood, even though they do not mention the name of the organization.
"The law is directed just at Planned Parenthood. It's to cut our funding so we can't provide services. Legal action is certainly on the table. The law singles out Planned Parenthood," Safar said.
Pro-life groups have come in support of the new legislation.
Casey Mattox, a senior attorney at Alliance Defending Freedom attorney testified in favor of the bills at the assembly, said in a statement:
"Wisconsin taxpayers shouldn't be forced into this immoral partnership with Planned Parenthood, especially when better, low-cost community health care providers serve women and families far more comprehensively and outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities in Wisconsin 17 to 1," Mattox said.
"Planned Parenthood shouldn't be profiting off of women and taxpayers," he said.
