Planned Parenthood Statement on New York Times Story

NEW YORK, March 6 -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following statement by President Cecile Richards on a New York Times article that reported the White House was worried about the political fallout from defunding Planned Parenthood:

The White House proposal that Planned Parenthood stop providing abortion is the same demand opponents of women's health have been pushing for decades, as a part of their long-standing effort to end women's access to safe, legal abortion. Planned Parenthood has always stood strong against these attacks on our patients and their ability to access the full range of reproductive health care. We are glad that the White House understands that taking away the preventive care Planned Parenthood provides is deeply unpopular and would be a disaster for women's health care.

"Planned Parenthood's singular commitment is to the women and men who come to us for health care every day in communities across the country. We will always stand for women's ability to make decisions about their health and lives, without interference from politicians in Washington, DC.

"To be clear, no federal funding goes towards abortion in the first place.

"'Defunding' Planned Parenthood would block millions of people in this country from accessing birth control, cancer screenings, and preventive care. For many patients, Planned Parenthood is the only health care provider they see. Blocking access to care at Planned Parenthood hurts communities that are struggling to get by the most, especially those with low incomes, those living in areas with no other quality health care providers, and communities of color who face systemic barriers to care.

"For the vast majority of people in this country, Planned Parenthood is the solution, not the problem. Planned Parenthood has led the way in improving birth control access in this country and the results speak for themselves with the lowest rate of unintended pregnancy in 30 years; a historic low for teen pregnancy; and the lowest abortion rate since Roe v. Wade."

The Facts on "Defunding" Planned Parenthood

FACT: The term "defunding" Planned Parenthood is a misnomer. There is no blank check that Planned Parenthood gets from the federal government, and it's not a line item in the federal budget. Instead, this type of legislation would prevent millions of women who rely on Medicaid and/or other federal programs from accessing the health care provider that's been there for them for decades. Federal law already blocks federal funding from going to abortion services. This legislation instead blocks people from accessing cancer screenings, birth control, HIV and STI testing, and other preventive and essential care at Planned Parenthood health centers.

FACT: Blocking access to Planned Parenthood is deeply unpopular. According to an independentpoll released in January, 70 percent of American voters oppose defunding Planned Parenthood - including 50 percent of Trump voters. a February 2017 Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll showed 77 percent of Iowans back funding for Planned Parenthood's preventive care, including 62 percent of Republicans and 62 percent of evangelical Christians. This goes along with 19 national polls that all show overwhelming support for Planned Parenthood.

FACT: Blocking access to Planned Parenthood hurts people in communities who are struggling to get by the most - especially those with low incomes and those living in areas with no other quality health care providers. This disproportionately impacts people who already face structural barriers to accessing care including people of color, immigrants, young people, and members of the LGBTQ community -- with those whose identities overlap facing multiple barriers.

FACT: Support for Roe v. Wade is at the highest it's ever been, with 7 out of 10 Americans saying they believe a woman should have the right to safe, legal abortion.

FACT: Other providers cannot just absorb Planned Parenthood's patient base if it is cut off from federal programs. Politicians who want to deny patients using Medicaid from going to Planned Parenthood often insist that other providers will fill the gap, but the experts at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the National Partnership for Women and Familiessaid it flat out:They can't. Even the executive director of the American Public Health Association has called such claims "ludicrous."

FACT: Legislation denying access to care at Planned Parenthood was a health disaster in Texas. Two Texas public health investigators wrote in the Washington Post that when Texas passed legislation it was devastating - and shouldn't be repeated in the rest of the country. A significant number of women also lost or had reduced access to primary care providers as a consequence of limiting patient options.

FACT: When lawmakers in Louisiana, Ohio, and Florida tried to block access to Planned Parenthood in the past, they suggested women could go to "alternative" providers for reproductive health care, including dentists, food banks, nursing homes, ENTs, elementary schools, rehabs, and retirement homes.

FACT:Fifty-four percent of Planned Parenthood health centers are in health professional shortage areas, rural or medically underserved areas. Planned Parenthood health centers provide preventive health care to many who otherwise would have nowhere to turn for care.

FACT: Although Planned Parenthood health centers comprised 10 percent of the country's safety-net centers that offered family planning care in2010,they served 36 percent of patients served by such centers. In 21 percent of counties with a Planned Parenthood health center, Planned Parenthood was the only safety-net family planning provider; and in 68 percent of counties with a Planned Parenthood health center, Planned Parenthood served at least half of all safety-net family planning patients.

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