Missouri Planned Parenthood affiliates learned they would no longer receive Medicaid reimbursements as of Friday at 5 p.m. in a letter delivered the same day the policy took effect.
Dale Carr, director of Missouri Medicaid Audit and Compliance, sent letters to Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri June 8 informing them that any reimbursement requests submitted after 5 p.m. that day would not be fulfilled.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains operates the Columbia clinic.
Language included in the Missouri budget would prohibit state funding from going to “any program that performs abortions or that counsels women to have an abortion other than the exceptions required by federal law.”
The budget has yet to be signed into law, but the Department of Social Services is already acting on the legislation.
Planned Parenthood operates its abortion facilities under a separate financial entity that does not use government money or receive reimbursement. The majority of Planned Parenthood’s services involve contraceptives, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and other health care services.
The budget will go into effect July 1 after it is approved by the governor.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains declined to comment Tuesday, saying it would have an official statement Wednesday regarding the percentage of Planned Parenthood clients who use Medicaid, and other comments available later.
Dale Carr did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Check back Wednesday for updates on this developing story.
A letter addressed to Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region was obtained by the Missourian through Planned Parenthood Great Plains.