Planned Parenthood to continue contracts with Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Planned Parenthood clinics in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas will continue providing services to Medicaid recipients for the next year, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority confirmed Thursday.

In a reversal of a decision announced earlier this year to terminate contracts with the nonprofit, Health Care Authority attorney Nicole Nantois said the two Planned Parenthood affiliates have entered into conditional one-year provider agreements with the state.

"The agency's decision was made after lengthy discussions with Planned Parenthood and significant input from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services," Nantois said in a statement.

As recently as last month, OHCA CEO Nico Gomez said the agency planned to terminate its contracts with Planned Parenthood effective this week. Republican Gov. Mary Fallin urged Gomez last year to cancel the contracts, citing what she called a "high rate" of billing errors. Planned Parenthood has said the problems are exaggerated.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has not responded to an open records request made by The Associated Press in November for information on the agency's billing-error rates.

Planned Parenthood said in a statement Thursday they were pleased the Health Care Authority reconsidered its decision.

"We celebrate this outcome for the thousands of Medicaid patients who choose Planned Parenthood for their health care," the statement said.

Planned Parenthood then released a statement to The Gayly, "Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (PPHeartland) and Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP, formerly Planned Parenthood Central Oklahoma) are pleased that Oklahoma Health Care Authority has reconsidered its termination of Planned Parenthood from SoonerCare. We have negotiated new contracts. We celebrate this outcome for the thousands of Medicaid patients who choose Planned Parenthood for their health care.  Like all SoonerCare providers, the Planned Parenthood providers will continue to be monitored to ensure compliance with applicable law."

Planned Parenthood operates clinics in both the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metropolitan areas, providing services such as cervical and breast cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection treatment and testing, vaccinations and immunizations, and family practice services. The clinics do not provide abortions in Oklahoma.

SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press. SARA RITSCH, The Gayly. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Gayly - 7/1/2016 @ 10:46 a.m. CDT