Wisconsin Blocks Federal Funds To Planned Parenthood

With the swipe of his pen, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed two bills into law Thursday that effectively block federal funding from Planned Parenthood and could cost the local organization millions of dollars a year, Reuters reported.

Under one of the bills signed into law, state entities providing abortions will now bill Medicaid only for acquisition costs and dispensing fees for prescription drugs — a switch that will cost Planned Parenthood an estimated $4.5 million per year, according to the organization, because of lower reimbursement rates being offered to clinics linked to abortion services.

One of the new laws also prevents Wisconsin from directing any federal Title X grant money to an organization or affiliate that provides abortions — a provision that could reportedly result in a loss of $3.5 million in federal dollars for Planned Parenthood.

"The move was the latest in a long line of attacks by the governor and the Republican-controlled state Legislature on the health of Wisconsin women and families," Planned Parenthood said in a statement.

The organization has 22 health centers in Wisconsin, three of which offer abortion services.

Last summer, a slew of Republican-controlled states attempted to halt funding for Planned Parenthood after the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group, secretly shot videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted fetuses for research. The controversial footage ignited a backlash from anti-abortion activists, and as a result, Republicans in Congress attempted to cut off funding for the organization.

While investigating the allegations of misconduct against Planned Parenthood last month, a Texas grand jury instead indicted two anti-abortion activists who had secretly shot the footage and cleared Planned Parenthood of any wrongdoing. Other states including Alabama, Utah and Arkansas have also reportedly fought losing court battles over their plans to cut funding to local Planned Parenthood operations. However, earlier this month, Ohio legislators approved a bill blocking state and federal funds for groups that perform or promote abortions.