Rep. Wild, Planned Parenthood Keystone Denounce Title X Funding Changes

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release:

This morning, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07), a member of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, held a press conference at the Allentown Medical Center with Planned Parenthood Keystone to discuss how the new gag rule enacted by the Administration has forced Planned Parenthood and other providers out of Title X and how it will prohibit women and families in PA-07 from accessing critical health services, including basic reproductive health care, cancer screenings, and contraception.

"What it is comes down to is this: a woman's right to health care, and to make her own decisions about her health care, is under attack," Wild said. "Organizations like Planned Parenthood, which provide critical, basic health care services to thousands of underserved women right here in Allentown, should not be put in the impossible position of having to choose between necessary funding and providing complete and accurate care to their patients. I am proud to stand by Planned Parenthood because it means saying that we, as a society, are serious about recognizing women as fully equal citizens whose health and rights are non-negotiable. These changes to Title X are unjust and I am proud to fight against them and for a future in which all people have a complete, irrevocable right to the health care they need."

Wild was joined by Melissa Reed, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Keystone, Adam Carbone, Allentown Health Center Manager, and Patient Advocate Ashleigh Strange who shared her Planned Parenthood story, to speak on the impacts this gag rule will have on women and families in PA-07.

"This gag rule puts care for millions of people- including nearly 170,000 Pennsylvanians and 65,000 Planned Parenthood Patients in Pennsylvania at risk," Reed said. "Title X is an essential program which helps ensure that people struggling to make ends meet can still access important health care like cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and annual exams. Planned Parenthood has been in the program since it was created nearly 50 years ago, and has been the largest provider of care, serving 40 percent of all Title X patients. This rule is unethical, and we are thrilled to hear from Congresswoman Susan Wild about this dangerous gag rule."

"At Planned Parenthood Keystone, and our Allentown Health Center we believe all people deserve the opportunity to access quality, ethical reproductive health care, no matter what," Carbone said. "Title X funding provides an opportunity for patients to get educated about their bodies, their health, and the types of care they need and deserve to be able to access. It is obvious that this gag rule irreparably harms the patient-provider relationship and violates the core ethics in health care, and strips our patients from the opportunities to access the health care they need, depend on, and deserve."

"Four years ago, I was working three part-time jobs and didn't have any health insurance," Strange said. "At the time, I didn't know exactly what Title X was, but I knew I could trust Planned Parenthood for the care I needed but couldn't afford. I am grateful that Planned Parenthood was my primary health care provider for two years, providing PAP smears when I knew I was at risk. I am so glad that Congresswoman Susan Wild is here to stand with every person who needs help at Planned Parenthood. I urge Congress to overturn the gag rule, which takes vital resources away for my community, and communities across Pennsylvania and the country.

Planned Parenthood Keystone provides care to over 25,000 people each year across Pennsylvania and 4,715 people in Allentown specifically, 30% of whom receive care through Title X. This historically bipartisan program is meant to ensure that those struggling to make ends meet, or who lack health insurance, can still access birth control, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and annual exams. The program is intended to cover gaps in health care access and affordability especially for people living in rural or underserved areas and a majority of patients in the Title X program identify as people of color, Hispanic, or Latino.

The rule, known as the "domestic gag rule," bars Planned Parenthood and any other providers that perform abortions or offers abortion referrals from receiving funding under Title X, limiting doctors' ability to provide accurate, complete information to their patients.

The American Medical Association is suing to overturn the gag rule, and it is currently opposed by major medical associations, more than 200 members of Congress in both the House and Senate, and 110 public health organizations. More than 20 governors, 80 mayors, and 274 state legislators have publicly opposed the gag rule.