On Friday, Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order demanding the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services remove abortion clinics as Medicaid providers.
As the Post and Courier reports, McMaster’s spokesman Brian Symmes stated the governor was only keeping his promises to push back against any funding reaching the coffers of Planned Parenthood. “I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone who has been listening to the governor for the past year and a half,” Symmes said.
This news comes on the heels of McMaster’s courageous healthcare spending veto last week, which cut $16 million from the state healthcare budget in order to ensure funding did not reach Planned Parenthood.
“Taxpayer dollars must not directly or indirectly subsidize abortion providers like Planned Parenthood,” McMaster said July 6 when he announced his veto. “There are a variety of agencies, clinics and medical entities in South Carolina that receive taxpayer funding (that) offer important women’s health and family-planning services without performing abortions.”
His prior veto was condemned as a ”publicity stunt” by Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Vicki Ringer, who stated, “It’s clear that the governor is singularly focused on his election bid in November and that is at the expense of South Carolina women. The veto does not ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood, but it will ensure that South Carolinians who use Medicaid as their primary insurance will be unable to access affordable, basic health care.”
McMaster has been quite vocal in his stance against abortion giant Planned Parenthood, which he referred to as a “blemish on the great character of the people of South Carolina and this country.”
“I’m going to do all I can do to see they get no taxpayer money. I can accomplish that. And I will, along with President Trump,” stated the governor in May.
We are incredibly pleased Governor McMaster has kept his promise to defund facilities who prey on women and their children.
