By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Texas Health Plan May Strand Thousands of Women
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > News > Texas Health Plan May Strand Thousands of Women
NewsPolicy & Law

Texas Health Plan May Strand Thousands of Women

Liz Seegert
Last updated: October 17, 2012 8:31 am
Liz Seegert
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Texas our Texas (Photo credit: jmtimages)

The state of Texas is famous for many things – from the Alamo to oil. However, being “women’s health friendly” certainly isn’t on the list.

Texas our Texas (Photo credit: jmtimages)

The state of Texas is famous for many things – from the Alamo to oil. However, being “women’s health friendly” certainly isn’t on the list.

A new report comes down hard on a Texas plan to ban participation by Planned Parenthood clinics in the state’s Women’s Health Program (WHP). If enacted, tens of thousands of women will go without necessary care. Planned Parenthood clinics provide the majority of care for the Texas WHP, and other community clinics don’t have the resources to take in potentially thousands of additional patients.

Researchers at the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative, part of George Washington University’s School of Public Health, looked at the consequences of the state’s decision and found that tens of thousands of low-income women would lose access to affordable family planning and other services, ultimately resulting in thousands of additional unplanned pregnancies.

More Read

Cooling Centers Help Hide from the Heat
Recommended Vaccines for Seniors
Secrets of Population Health Management [INFOGRAPHIC]
How to Effectively Support Employees With Disabilities
Hope as scientists reveal key to detecting Alzheimer’s early

The scenario plays like a TV soap opera. Until now, 90 percent of funding for the Women’s Health Program was paid for by the federal government. Excluding Planned Parenthood contradicts a federal policy ensuring that women have choices among health providers, so the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services terminated their participation in WHP. Texas said it would fund the program without federal help, and filed a lawsuit against CMS.

Meanwhile Planned Parenthood is suing the state to regain inclusion into WHP. Many clinics will be in dire circumstances if federal funding for the program is cut off. Smaller centers may have to close, and larger clinics can not realistically handle an influx of additional patients without restructuring their operations or finding other revenue sources.

To add to the confusion, a report to the state legislature by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said WHP netted $23 million in cost-savings for the state, and avoidance of at least 8,000 unplanned births in 2011. If the state pays the entire tab, the result would be a net loss of of $5.5 to 6.5 million. If the state makes up the shortfall by cutting WHP funding, it puts serious added burden on the remaining program participants, and could ultimately mean many women do not get needed care, such as preventive care or breast and cervical cancer screenings. Additional restrictions would also be put on providers, who could not even tell women about options for terminating a pregnancy.

It’s a mystery what Governor Rick Perry is thinking by supporting this idea. This plan only serves to hurt low income women, places additional burdens on unaffiliated health clinics, and censors communication between a patient and her doctor. Researchers affirmed the important role of these clinics in the health and well being of uninsured and low-income Texas women – who will have a very tough time finding other providers to take their cases. There’s already a severe shortage of primary care physicians in the state, with only 70 for every 100,000 residents; this plan only worsens that situation.

If the courts uphold the Texas plan, researchers foresee an increased rate of teen pregnancies, repeat abortions, and unplanned births, leading to higher state costs for Medicaid services. The governor has previously insisted that he will not expand Medicaid as outlined under the Affordable Care Act – so what are low income and uninsured women to do? Perry says he can make the numbers work out, but the math seems awful fuzzy.

 

TAGGED:Texaswomen's health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

phone anxiety is a problem for health workers working from home
News

WFH Increasing Levels of Phone Anxiety in Health Workers

July 13, 2022
Health carePolicy & Law

The What, Why, and How of Viatical Settlements

May 3, 2019
Image
BusinesseHealthHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsMobile HealthPublic HealthTechnologyWellness

HIMSS 2013: Mayhem or Magic?

March 10, 2013
4 Healthcare Problems You Should Not Find in a Nursing Home
Health carePolicy & LawPublic Health

4 Healthcare Problems You Should Not Find in a Nursing Home

April 26, 2019
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?