Austin, Texas, Jan 23, 2020 / 15:01 pm
A Texas women's health program that bars funding for health care providers that perform abortions has been approved for federal funding by the Trump administration, making it the first program to receive federal Medicaid funding while excluding abortion providers.
The Department of Health and Human Services approved the Medicaid waiver for the Healthy Texas Women program, which helps provide health care and family planning services to tens of thousands of women, the Dallas Morning News reports. The waiver is an administrative procedure that allows federal money for states that experiment in new ways to provide health care to the poor and disabled.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed the waiver, saying, "The Lone Star State is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide meaningful family planning and health services while fostering a culture of life."
"This collaboration is a symbol of our commitment to championing the lives of Texas women. I am grateful to President Trump and his administration for approving this waiver, and for his commitment to protecting the unborn while providing much-needed health resources to Texas women," Abbott said Jan. 22.