Senators and legislators who are in support of defunding Planned Parenthood state that they don’t have a problem with women having access to health care and services that Planned Parenthood offer, they just don’t like that Planned Parenthood has to be the health facility that offers it. Specifically speaking, opposers just aren’t fans of the controversial issues that go along with Planned Parenthood concerning abortion and fetal tissue “sales”. Legislators and even the President would rather allocate the funding to other federal community health centers across the nation…that don’t provide abortion.
An avid pusher of this agenda is Speaker of the House, Paul D. Ryan.
In a town hall meeting hosted by CNN in August, Ryan acknowledges that though tax payer money did not directly fund abortions, it kept Planned Parenthood and it’s controversies “afloat” which is what Ryan is really against.
“…for every Planned Parenthood, there are 20 federal community health centers”
This gets into the argument that if Planned Parenthood is defunded, women have other options where they can seek healthcare. However, when looking at the sources of Ryan’s assertions, one would find that his statistical sources come from anti-abortion groups called the Charlotte Lozier Institute and the Alliance Defending Freedom. Thus one can automatically find bias which could skew the data or just not really tell all the facts to sell his point.
“Ryan uses the term “federal community health centers,” which is used interchangeably with federally qualified health centers in the political debate over Planned Parenthood funding. Medicaid is a major source of revenue for both Planned Parenthood clinics and federally qualified health centers. So legislation to “defund” Planned Parenthood focuses on pulling Medicaid funding and other federal grants from Planned Parenthood and redirecting them to federally qualified health centers.” While this may seem like a good idea, the “health centers” mentioned don’t actually service the lowest income patients.
The reason Planned Parenthood is so beneficial is not because the provide abortions but because they service women, and even men, who can’t even qualify for other services like Medicaid. Unfortunately, women have to seek services from Planned Parenthood due to the lack of support they receive from their insurance companies, jobs, and even our government. According to the Planned Parenthood statistics, “of about 2.5 million patients it reportedly served in 2015, 75 percent had income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.”
…150 percent of the federal poverty level.
In conclusion, Yes, rural health clinics can service many women in programs such as dental, primary, and behavioral health BUT they are NOT required to provide family planning services and do not have to serve low-income patients. Federally qualified health centers provide a broader range of services and fewer contraceptive services than Planned Parenthood does. Ryan’s statements are based on assumptions that hold too much uncertainty.
STANDING FOR WOMEN 