Politicians who want to put safe, legal abortion out of reach have a sneaky tactic: In attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood health centers, they use legislation they describe as “defunding Planned Parenthood.”
“Defunding” is a made up thing, manufactured to deliberately confuse people about how funding works at Planned Parenthood.
Federal law already prohibits the use of federal funding, like Medicaid and Title X, for abortion (except when a pregnant person might die, or if their pregnancy is the result of rape or incest).
Patients pay for safe, legal abortion at Planned Parenthood health centers mostly out-of-pocket, through private health insurance, or with the help of abortion funds.
Planned Parenthood is a not-for-profit organization with about 600 health centers nationwide that provide a full range of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. Discriminatory federal policies have long prevented the use of public programs like Medicaid and Title X to pay for abortion.
Going after patients who would obtain government-funded care at Planned Parenthood, politicians show they’re willing to block access to essential care — like birth control, STD testing and treatment, and Pap tests — for the sake of their agenda. They want to make safe, legal abortion as difficult as possible to access — and if people lose access to lifesaving care in the process, so be it.
It makes pawns of many people with low incomes, those living in rural areas, people of color, and others who — because of race, poverty, proximity or other factors – have limited options for care — punishing them in an effort to harm Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood’s 600 health centers nationwide care for 2.4 million people per year. These health centers have survived “defund” attacks before, and they will do so again.
Overall, an estimated one in five women in America has come to Planned Parenthood at some point in their life for care. That’s why a majority of Americans support Planned Parenthood, and why so many people choose to say #IStandWithPP.
Planned Parenthood health centers provide essential health care. Full stop.
Like any other health care provider, Planned Parenthood gets reimbursed through federal programs, like Medicaid and Title X, for delivering care.
Tactics that target federal funds such as Medicaid and Title X harm people who face longstanding, and often systemic, barriers to accessing health care. That includes people with low incomes, many people of color, and people who live in rural areas. By making it even harder to get essential sexual and reproductive care, “defunding” puts the health of millions of people in jeopardy.
Over two dozen nationwide and statewide polls in 2015–2019 showed fierce support for Planned Parenthood and vehement opposition to efforts to block patients from accessing lifesaving care at Planned Parenthood health centers.
Punishing patients by placing restrictions sexual and reproductive health, including abortion access, has one predictable consequence: measurable, demonstrable harm to public health.
Federal law already prohibits the use of federal funding, like Medicaid and Title X, for abortion (except when a woman might die or if her pregnancy is the result of rape or incest).
The federal government is in the hands of extremist lawmakers who have tried for years to shut down Planned Parenthood health centers and cut patients off from care. If they succeed, millions will lose the care they rely on each year — with people of color, those with low incomes, and folks in rural areas most affected.
Tell Congress you’re a part of the overwhelming majority who opposes "defunding" care at Planned Parenthood health centers. Tell Congress you’re ready to fight like hell to protect reproductive health and rights in this country. Tell Congress you stand with Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood patients across the country have shared their stories in their words about how their lives have been changed — sometimes even saved — by a visit to a Planned Parenthood health center.
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This page is controlled and operated by Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Inc.
