Florida’s healthcare agency is doubling down on claims three Southwest Florida planned parenthood offices performed unlicensed abortions. The moves comes a day after lawyers for the Agency for Healthcare Administration seemed to back down from that assertion.
In a letter Tuesday to planned parenthood Florida attorneys, the agency for healthcare administration appeared to agree with the group’s assertion that abortions done within 14 weeks are still 1st term. The 14-week benchmark is outlined in state rules. But Wednesday, AHCA back-tracked, and in another letter, reiterated it believes abortions done around 13-weeks fall in the second trimester.
AHCA cited the three planned parenthood clinics limited to first trimester procedures, for performing abortions around that timeframe. Planned Parenthood of Central and Southwest Florida sued Monday to stop the agency from imposing fines.
The fight erupted after Governor Rick Scott ordered inspections of abortion clinics.