Washington Governor Christine Gregoire has decided to re-affirm taxpayer funding for the “Take Charge” free birth control program that sends taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood.
State tax dollars flow to the abortion giant despite previous information showing it engaging in fraudulent actions by overcharging the state government.
The Abortion in Washington blog reported yesterday that Gregoire has decided to continue funding the program, in a move that it says confirms again “that the Washington State Governor’s Mansion is little more than the Olympia office of Planned Parenthood.”
The Department of Social and Health Services gave the governor a list of programs for potential elimination and the Take Charge program was reportedly on the list. Instead of cutting Planned Parenthood funding, Gregoire decided to cut the state’s Basic Health Plan, which covers 66,000 otherwise uninsured Washingtonians. She also cut the Children’s Health Program, which was helping 27,000 kids, according to the web site.
The webs site also indicated Gregoire eliminated the Disability Lifeline grants to 28,000 people who are temporarily disabled and she eliminated the Disability Lifeline Medical Program and reduced the in-home Medicaid personal care.
The program has not reduced the number of abortions in state even though abortion advocates contend promoting birth control and contraception does so.
“We have exposed how the program, now in its 10th year, has done almost nothing to reduce the rate of unwanted pregnancies, births to low-income women, or abortions, but has become a massive, multi-million dollar slush fund for Planned Parenthood affiliates of Washington,” it said.
The blog also condemned the move — saying it comes at a time when the state government faces acute financial concerns.
“As everyone now knows, the state has been facing a budget d eficit in the billions, and state legislators have been forced to cut spending on a host of health and education programs, even those which are widely supported, and which help the truly sick and destitute,” it said.
Last October, the state of Washington and the Planned Parenthood of the Inland Northwest abortion business agreed on a settlement in a Medicaid fraud case that saw the abortion business routinely overcharge the state government.
Initial audits from Washington state officials showed Planned Parenthood wrongly overbilled the state $629,143 over a three-year period, according to the Associated Press.
However, the abortion business appealed the case and announced a settlement whereby it would not admit any incorrect billing, documentation or payment and Planned Parenthood will only repay $345,000 of the money it obtained.
AP indicated the findings were based on 333 abortions done between March 2004 to February 2007, a period which saw Washington state provide Planned Parenthood more than $7.6 million from Medicaid for abortions and birth control.
David Schmidt of the pro-life group Life Action, which monitors Planned Parenthood, commented on the settlement, calling it a “dirty trick” that “paid off.”
Schmidt said at the time, “Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards was with Washington’s pro-abortion Governor Christine Gregoire earlier this month” and noted a message posted on her Facebook account saying it was “great” to spend time with her.
“Did Cecile Richards meet with her pal Governor Christine Gregoire to hash out a deal where Planned Parenthood paid back some of their over-billing while not admitting to any wrongdoing and escaping fraud charges? We may never know for sure but we do not that Planned Parenthood’s operation is routinely protected by political allies,” he said.
The audit by sate officials found Planned Parenthood was routinely overbilling Medicaid for abortions as well as contraception and family planning services.
According to the audit, state health officials found Planned Parenthood of Spokane was “unbundling” abortion claims and falsely billing for doctor visits when customers were picking up prescriptions.
ACTION: Complain to Governor Gregoire at https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp
