Stitt bars Oklahoma groups with ties to abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funding

Oklahoma’s governor this week directed all state agencies to cease providing public funding to individuals or organizations “affiliated with abortion providers.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt said he ordered the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to terminate and refuse to renew any Medicaid contracts to doctors or entities that “performs, refers for, or is affiliated with the performance of abortions not permitted under state law.” He said the agency must also implement enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance and require Medicaid providers to sign a document attesting to whether they’re connected to anyone providing “abortion-related activities.” 

He said only providers who are “fully aligned with Oklahoma’s public policy objectives, including the protection of unborn life” will be eligible to participate in Medicaid, which is funded jointly by state and federal money.

“We won’t allow tax dollars to indirectly subsidize and flow into the abortion industry under the guise of women’s health,” he said in a statement. “My order makes sure every public dollar aligns with our values and supports providers who respect life at every stage.”

Stitt said his executive order follows a June U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming that states can determine who takes part in their Medicaid programs. That includes the right to ban any affiliated individuals or organizations with ties to abortion providers, he said. 

Oklahoma currently has no licensed abortion providers. State law bars all abortions except to save the life of the mother.

An Oklahoma Health Care Authority spokesperson did not know Friday how many providers were expected to be impacted by the order. She wrote in an email that the agency was still analyzing the impact on provider counts and the order “to determine next steps as we ensure compliance and maintain services for our members.”

Nearly 1 in 4 Oklahomans are enrolled in Medicaid, also known as SoonerCare.

Under Stitt’s order, the Health Care Authority must implement the revised standards within 120 days and report back to Stitt’s office on the number of impacted providers.