‘There is nothing to cease & desist’: Planned Parenthood responds to Missouri AG
Health Department urged to review complication plans submitted weeks ago
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services has been urged to review pending complication plans for the state’s Planned Parenthood locations as the Attorney General threatens a cease and desist letter.
Missouri’s Planned Parenthood locations say there is nothing to cease and desist as they continue to follow the law surrounding medication abortion.
On Wednesday, March 12, Planned Parenthood responded to claims from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey that leaders of the organization call baseless and fictitious.
“There is nothing to cease or desist. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood health centers have complied with the law and have been waiting weeks for approval of our complication plan in order to begin offering medication abortion to our patients,” Margot Riphagan, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said. “The Attorney General knows that but chooses instead to make decisions based on fiction, not fact. Instead of wasting his time on baseless political posturing, he should enforce a timeline for DHSS to actually respond to, and approve, our complication plan under state law.”
Riphagan noted that her clinic continues to refer patients to the Fairview Heights, Illinois, healthcare center as they work to restart procedural abortion services in Missouri.
“The Attorney General seems to have a hard time understanding what we have said publicly for weeks now: we submitted a complication plan for medication abortion in compliance with state law. Medication abortion has not been available at our Missouri health centers since 2018, and we will not provide medication abortion until we meet legal requirements,” said Emily Wales, President and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “So far, we have received no response from the Department of Health and Senior Services.”
Wales noted that procedural abortion appointments continue to be provided on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro.
“The absurdity of the Attorney General’s actions would be laughable if it weren’t for the harm this causes providers and the confusion it creates for Missourians, especially those seeking abortion care,” Wales continued. “Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains continues to provide procedural abortion appointments in Missouri.”
The statements follow a letter sent by AG Bailey earlier in March that threatened a cease and desist if they did not halt medication abortion appointments. He cited the need for an approved complication plan, which both remain pending at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Both Planned Parenthood clinics noted that their complication plans were proposed to MDHSS by Feb. 20, and as of March 12, they appear to have been completely ignored.
Further, Planned Parenthood indicated that the AG’s letter does not satisfy the legal standards of the statute he attempted to cite. Leaders said they would continue to follow the law, as they always have, and look forward to hearing back from the DHSS.
Planned Parenthood leaders even urged Bailey to insist that the DHSS respond to their attempted communications.
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