As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial need for health care services, you might think state officials would work to reduce barriers to access. Instead, Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) proposed cutting funding for women’s health—a perennial target for Republicans—while leaving untouched a problematic anti-abortion program that has offered few to no actual health services. It was only after months of sustained public outcry from advocacy organizations and lawmakers that HHSC backtracked on these cuts in September.
But we shouldn’t let the commission off the hook easily. The budget has yet to be finalized, and concerns over lack of transparency and legislative oversight persist. Years of ideologically targeting women’s health with devastating results is business as usual for state officials, and this budget process is a stark reminder of their warped priorities.
In May, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen demanded most state agencies cut 5 percent from their budgets amid a coronavirus-induced economic crisis. HHSC identified nearly $133 million in potential cuts in June, including nearly $3.8 million from women’s health programs that offer free and low-cost contraception and screenings for cholesterol, diabetes, and breast and cervical cancer. Providers say the reductions would have forced clinics to cut hours and staff and, in some cases, close. Other targets included therapy for toddlers with disabilities and family violence prevention programs.
