Waiver challenges subsidy to abortion providers

Rep. Jeff Duncan is one of five members of the South Carolina delegation to Washington seeking to disqualify abortion providers from Medicaid subsidies. Duncan’s announcement states that he recently led a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to support Gov. Henry McMaster’s request for a waiver to exclude abortion providers from Medicaid participation. Medicaid is the government program that helps pay the medical bills of some patients with limited income and resources. In part the letter reads: “The waiver seeks to allow South Carolina to exclude abortion providers from eligibility in participating in the state’s Medicaid plan. As Planned Parenthood has been accused of serious misconduct, especially surrounding the harvesting of infant body parts for sale, we stand in strong support of this request, and ask for its immediate consideration and approval.” Joining Republican Duncan in signing the letter are four other representatives: Joe Wilson, Tom Rice, Ralph Norman, and William Timmons.