Changes in Texas Women’s Health Program

A new Texas law means more than 100,000 low-income women will not be able to get birth control and other health services from Planned Parenthood. In response, the feds have pulled funding to the “Texas Women’s Health Program”. Fox’s Richard Ray has more on the battle between Austin and Washington that has a lot of women caught in the middle.

At stake here is the Texas Women’s Health Program, which provides cancer screenings, contraceptives and other basic health care to low income women. Women like Elizabeth Ayers, a married mother who lives in Carrollton and goes to the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Dallas.

“I’ve been going there since I was 15-years-old for all my pap smears, all my screening, all my breast exams,” said Elizabeth Ayers, Carrollton Mother.

The state funds 10%, the federal government 90%. But when Texas moved to cut Planned Parenthood out – because it’s affiliated with abortion providers – the feds responded by pulling their share for the entire program. $40 million dollars.

“There’s no other clinic like Planned Parenthood that will help out with low income families and all the services they provide,” said Ayers.

“It’s just stunning that the governor would allow political ideology to sabotage a successful program that saves the state money,” said Kelly Hart, Planned Parenthood.

But the governor told reporters last week that Texas Women’s Health is not going away..

“Oh we’ll find the money, the state is committed to this program,” said Rick Perry, Texas Governor.

But without specifying where Texas finds the money.