US Justice Department joins Texas-led lawsuit against Planned Parenthood over Medicaid

What happened?

1. The suit alleges Planned Parenthood billed state Medicaid programs and collected reimbursements from Texas and Louisiana after those states moved to terminate it from their Medicaid networks, the reports say.
2. Plaintiffs are seeking the return of millions of dollars in Medicaid funds plus penalties that the reports state could total up to $1.8 billion.
3. Texas and the DOJ contend that once a state formally ended Planned Parenthood's Medicaid participation, subsequent billings constituted unlawful fraud, as the reports describe the plaintiffs' position.
4. Planned Parenthood maintains the suit is meritless and calls it a "weaponized" effort, contending its billing during the disputed period was legally permissible, according to the reports.
5. Planned Parenthood has warned that the penalties and damages sought could effectively force it to shut down its Texas operations, the reports state.

A Texas-led lawsuit joined by the Justice Department accuses Planned Parenthood of collecting Medicaid reimbursements from Texas and Louisiana after those states moved to drop it from their Medicaid networks, the reports say. Planned Parenthood has warned that the penalties and damages being sought could force it to end operations in Texas. The organization maintains the suit is meritless and the disputed billing was lawful.

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