OKLAHOMA CITY, July 13, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — Planned Parenthood of the Heartland apparently is back in the good graces of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority despite evidence of millions of dollars in overbilling, the absence of public support from the governor and in light of an announcement a month ago by the OCHA’s director that the abortion provider’s contract would not be renewed.
Nicole Nantois, the OCHA’s legal counsel, issued a statement that indicated Planned Parenthood will continue to receive Medicaid funding in Oklahoma after reaching agreement with the state.
“The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has reached a resolution with Planned Parenthood Heartland and Planned Parendhood Central Oklahoma pursuant to which both providers have entered into conditional one-year Provider Agreements. … Planned Parenthood … will continue to be monitored to ensure compliance with applicable law.”
Last November, Gov. Mary Fallin called on the OHCA to terminate all Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood, citing state program integrity reviews showing overbilling of 14 percent to 20 percent and other research that “strongly suggests that Planned Parenthood and its Oklahoma and national affiliates regularly, whether intentionally or negligently, engage in a pattern of practices resulting in the overbilling of state Medicaid programs.” The contracts were to be terminated June 29.
Gov. Fallin, OCHA Executive Director Nico Gomez and Planned Parenthood have yet to comment on the agreement. Gomez and Planned Parenthood did not respond to LifeSiteNews' requests for reaction, and Fallin's office said she would not be commenting.
In its Profit no Matter What: Annual Report on Publicly Available Audits of Planned Parenthood Affiliates and State Family Planning Programs, the Alliance Defending Freedom identified $8,347,000 in overbilling by Planned Parenthood of the OHCA.
“I would ask you to strongly consider,” Fallin wrote Gomez, “appropriately terminating the Planned Parenthood contracts in Oklahoma.”
Fallin’s commitment to pro-life issues came under scrutiny in May when she vetoed a bill criminalizing abortion except when birth threatened the mother’s health, claiming the wording was so vague that it would invite a legal challenge.
The state agency initially indicated its compliance with Fallin’s wishes regarding Planned Parenthood. As recently as last month, the Associated Press reported on the OCHA’s intention to terminate its contract with Planned Parenthood.