What Might Happen If We Take All Federal Funding From Planned Parenthood
We would have fewer abortions. And maybe even fewer unintended pregnancies.
But removing federal funding allows the states to pick up the slack. And we have seen this exact thing happen.
Last year, several states began giving taxpayer money to PP for family planning services. These states include Illinois, Hawaii, Maryland, Vermont, Oregon, Washington, California, Massachusetts, and New York. They did so because Trump mandated that Title X money could not pay for abortions, and as PP refused to stop doing abortions, it was not allowed to receive Title X money.
- Hawaii budgeted $750,000 to help cover the loss of Title X money.
- New Jerseys governor signed legislation to give $9.5 million for family planning to Planned Parenthood.
- The governor of Massachusetts authorized up to $8 million.
- Californias Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to cover the expected loss for six local Planned Parenthood clinics, amounting to nearly half a million dollars.
- Pennsylvania proposed budgeting $3 million for its Planned Parenthood clinics.
But do we really need Planned Parenthood clinics? The US has nearly 1,400 federally qualified health centers and 12,409 federally qualified health center service sites. All do the same things PP doesexcept abortions. Meanwhile, PP has about 575 clinics.
People dont need Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood needs people.
Yet PP doesnt just make its money killing babies: it sometimes makes its money fraudulently.
Supporting Abortion Providers And Publicly Funding Abortion Is Devastating To Womens Health
Forcing taxpayers to pay for something that a large portion of them view as murder is problematic in itself. Setting aside the ethical issues, however, the effects of state sponsorship of abortiona very risky procedurehave been shown to be disastrous for mothers.
Currently, 17 states use taxpayer money to help pay for elective abortions. In 2015, their spending amounted to about $71 million on about 157,000 abortions. This means that state governments paid for about a quarter of the 638,000 abortions in 2015.
In the absence of public funding, abortions do decrease. Studies in the Journal of Health Economics, Family Planning Perspectives, and BMC Womens Health have all found that the number of abortions decreases by about a third when not state-sponsored. Instead, more pregnancies are carried to term and the child is left alive.
Whats more, state sponsorship of abortion also increases unplanned pregnancies. When abortion is made less easily available, financially or otherwise, evidence suggests that greater care is taken to avoid pregnancy. Indeed, research in the Journal of Health Economics found that the effect of cutting funding is large enough that the number of births decreases despite drops in the abortion rate.
Public funding of abortions does not help womens health, it endangers their lives. Supporting abortions on the taxpayers dime, directly or not, will likely result in numerous negative effects on womens health.
Appendix A: Planned Parenthood Annual Reports 20062019
20052006 Annual Report: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Report: 20052006,
20062007 Annual Report: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Report: 20062007, .
20072008 Annual Report: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Report: 20072008,
20082009 Reports: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Report: 20082009, . See also Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Fact Sheet: Planned Parenthood Services, September 2010, .
20092010 Annual Report: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Report: 20092010, .
20102011 Annual Financial Report: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Annual Financial Report: 20102011, .
Don’t Miss: Free Government Flip Phones
Yes They Offer Care For Men As Well
If Planned Parenthood is defunded, women wont be the only ones to lose out. While services vary depending on location, men can visit clinics for prostate, colon, and testicular cancer screenings, vasectomies, male infertility screenings, and other health service treatments. In 2014, Planned Parenthoods nationwide provided vasectomies to 3,445 men.
What You Can Do To Fight Planned Parenthood
You May Like: Capabilities Statement Template
Recent Federal And State Efforts Have Moved To Disqualify Planned Parenthood Clinics From Receiving Title X Support And Reimbursements Under Medicaid
In the first three years of the Trump Administration, the President and many Congressional Republicans pursued multiple avenues to restrict public funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide both contraception and abortion services. In 2017, the Administration reversed an Obama era regulation that would have prevented states from blocking Title X funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide abortion using other funds. In 2017, every version of Republican legislation to replace the ACA included provisions that would have banned federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood clinics. While none of these bills were enacted, this would have upended Medicaids free choice of provider requirement and would have resulted in a significant revenue loss for Planned Parenthood.
Figure 6: Planned Parenthood Represents a Small Share of Clinics but Serves One-Third of Female Family Planning Clients
The impact of banning federal Title X funds and Medicaid reimbursement to family planning clinics would vary across the country. In some states there are very few Planned Parenthood clinics, while in other states they are the predominant provider for low-income people seeking contraceptive services. In 13 states, Planned Parenthood clinics were the site of care for over 40% of women who obtained publicly funded contraceptives.
Many Health Centers Offer Family Planning Services But The Range And Volume Of Services They Provide Varies
Under Section 330 of the PHSA, the Health Resources and Services Administration provides grants to health centers whose main focus is providing primary and preventive care to underserved and vulnerable populations. These clinics, called Federally Qualified Health Centers , are required to provide voluntary family planning services along with a wide range of health care services. Although it is not specifically defined in FQHC guidelines, voluntary family planning services can include preconception care, screening and treatment of STIs, and contraception. A survey of FQHCs found that virtually all reported they provided at least one method of contraception at one or more of their clinical sites.
However, research has documented differences between clinic types in their ability to offer direct access to the most effective contraceptive methods . For example, about eight in ten Planned Parenthood clinics and three-quarters of health department clinics can provide initial supply and refills of oral contraceptives on site, compared to one-third of FQHCs. Similarly, there are differences in capacity for family planning care within the FQHC network. In a 2017 Kaiser Family Foundation/ George Washington University study of FQHCs, 80-90% of centers that received Title X funds reported they provide LARCs, compared to just about half of FQHCs that did not receive Title X support .
Figure 4: Clinics Vary in their Capacity to Provide Timely Access to Contraceptives
Read Also: Possible Careers For History Majors
The Health : Funding For Planned Parenthood Went Up Yes Up During The Trump Administration
with Alexandra Ellerbeck
Instead, federal funds to the womens health-care and abortion provider grew during the first two and a half years of his administration.
Government reimbursements and grants to Planned Parenthood hit record levels in the groups fiscal years starting in 2017 and 2018, according to its most recent financial disclosure, even as the administration and Republicans in Congress and around the country endeavored mostly unsuccessfully to cut the provider out of government revenue streams wherever possible. Planned Parenthood won’t release its next fiscal report until the end of the year.
That reality has mostly flown under the radar, even as Trump has been praised by abortion rights opponents as being the friendliest president to their cause.
But Marjorie Dannenfelser, who is president of the antiabortion Susan B. Anthony List and has emerged as one of Trumps most vocal supporters, told me she and her colleagues are very aware and not happy about the dollars.
I think there is a great desire to get the executive branch to do something about it, but there is very little that can be done, said Dannenfelser, who co-chairs a coalition of antiabortion activists supporting Trumps reelection bid.
The funding increases stem largely from the Medicaid program.
The Trump administration did manage last year to push Planned Parenthood clinics out of the federal family planning program.
How Planned Parenthood Uses Money
Money is fungible. In other words, sources of income easily get mixed together.
For instance, lets say that the government gives $500 million to PP. But since the government says this money cant be used for abortion, PP puts the money into a different pot. PP now has an extra $500 million. That money frees up its other resources to cover other needs . Then the organization can use these federal funds for other services, such as birth control, sex education, or any number of things. But in reality, these governmental funds help PP do what makes the most money. And that is abortion.
Related Read: Planned Parenthood Abortion Statistics
Further, contraceptives and sex ed programs both directly and indirectly increase the abortion rate. One of the ways that contraceptives work is to thin the lining of the uterus. If the uterine lining is too thin, the baby cannot implant. This causes his death. Its an early abortion.
And PPs sex ed programs actually harm children. A July 2020 Family Leader article reported on federal studies, stating that PPs sex education programs do not reduce teenage pregnancy. Furthermore, in five states where students were subjected to PPs sex ed, pregnancy rates increased.
Don’t Miss: Government Grant For Dental Implants
Federal And State Medicaid
According to Medicaid.gov, there were 70,587,631 individuals enrolled in Medicaid as of September 2020. In 2018, half of the women who fell below the federal poverty level were insured by Medicaid.
Medicaid is funded jointly by both state and federal governments. Because of this, states can decide to pay for abortions in instances other than rape, incest, and danger to the mothers health. However, the states must use their own funds for this, not federal funds.
Currently, 16 states have policies that will allow their own Medicaid funds to pay for abortions beyond the Hyde restrictions. Nine of these states do so as a result of court order. Arizona, however, will not pay for abortions outside of the Hyde restrictions, even though a court order has directed it to do so. And South Dakotas Medicaid program will not even pay for abortions in the exception cases.
The Kaiser Family Foundation has examined state Medicaid programs closely and found some fascinating results. Restrictions do make a difference. They save lives. The states that do not allow their funds to pay for abortions outside of the Hyde restrictions pay for significantly fewer abortions.
Thus, one fact is obvious. If the federal government allows more abortion coverage under Medicaid, more women will seek them. This means more dead babies.
Biden Seeks To Boost Planned Parenthood Funding To New Levels
Connor Semelsberger is Director of Federal Affairs for Life and Human Dignity at Family Research Council. This article appeared on Townhall.com on February 16, 2021.
After observing the first few weeks of the Biden administration, the CEO of Americans largest abortion chain Planned Parenthood says she is over the moon about the Biden/Harris administrations vision for expanding abortion. And its easy to see why.
President Biden has already begun reinstating President Obamas policies. He repealed Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy , granting international abortion providers access to millions of dollars in global health funds. He also pledged to restore Title X funding to Planned Parenthood and block states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood through Medicaid.
But the funding wont stop there. Biden also stands ready to expand Obamacare, which provides billions of dollars in subsidies for health plans that cover elective abortion. He is also working with congressional Democrats to pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that will surely give Planned Parenthood even more bites at the apple.
Its no wonder Planned Parenthood has a vocal advocate in the White House, who pledged during the campaign to fund their organization, when the deep-pocketed giant was one of Joe Bidens earliest supporters.
You May Like: Dental Lifeline Network Dental Implant Grant
Planned Parenthood Received $16 Billion Of Our Tax Dollars To Promote Its Abortion Agenda
A new GAO report presents a very disturbing picture of how Americas biggest abortion business receives a massive amount of taxpayer funding to further its abortion agenda.
In 2019, pro-life Reps. Vicky Hartzler , Pete Olson , and Marsha Blackburn led over 120 House and Senate Members in a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting data on federal taxpayer dollars received by pro-abortion groups. Last week, the GAO issued the report that covers a three year period, from fiscal years 2016-2018.
Requested by pro-life members of Congress to expose how pervasive its taxpayer funding is, the GAO report indicates pro-abortion groups Planned Parenthood Federation of America , Marie Stopes International and International Planned Parenthood Federation received a massive amount of American tax dollars.
In total, the pro-abortion groups received $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars over the three-year period.
The period covers the last year of the Obama administration and the first two years of the Trump administration. While President Obama pushed abortion funding and tax funding of pro-abortion groups to the largest extent possible, President Donald Trump immediately took efforts to cut off funding for Planned Parenthoods international affiliate, which opted out of funding programs because it refused to abide by Trumps pro-life rules requiring it to stop promoting and performing abortions.
for pro-life pictures and videos.
Planned Parenthood from 2016-2018:
They Provide Care For Teens Who Otherwise Might Not Have Access
For teenagers who cant get sexual education anywhere else, Planned Parenthood is a safe space to get information as well as affordable access to birth control and STD testing. Many states have special laws that protect teens right to get private sexual health care, even if theyre under 18, but laws on this vary from state to state.
Don’t Miss: Governmentjobs.com Las Vegas
Attacks On Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood facilities across the country have faced bomb threats, arson, vandalism and other attacks over the past few years. A 2016 National Clinic Violence Survey published by the Feminist Majority Foundation, a nonprofit organization, found that 34.2 percent of U.S. abortion providers reported “severe violence or threats of violence” in the first half of 2016 a spike from 19.4 percent reporting violence or threats in 2014.
Undercover videos
In 2015, an anti-abortion group called the Center for Medical Progress caused an uproar when it released a series of videos that it alleged showed that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal tissue.
The director of the group, David Robert Daleiden, along with a fellow center employee, Sandra Susan Merritt, posed as employees of Biomax Procurement Services, a fictitious company they created by registering false documents, including fake driver’s licenses. In the clips, they are seen trying to encourage Planned Parenthood representatives to admit to profiting from the sale of fetal tissue.
The two pro-life activists described themselves as “citizen journalists,” but federal investigators determined that the videos had been selectively edited. The activists later released a full version and a transcript of one video that showed a Planned Parenthood official denying claims that the organization makes a profit off the tissues.
Planned Parenthood Refuses Federal Funds Over Abortion Restrictions
Facing a Trump administration rule that forbids referrals for abortion, the organization decided to reject federal funds for family planning for low-income women.
- Read in app
-
Send any friend a story
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Give this article
- Read in app
By Pam Belluck
Planned Parenthood said Monday that it would withdraw from the federal family planning program that provides birth control and other health services to poor women rather than comply with a new Trump administration rule that forbids referrals to doctors who can perform abortions.
Planned Parenthood receives about $60 million annually through the federal program, known as Title X. The funds have enabled the group to provide more than 1.5 million low-income women each year with services like birth control and pregnancy tests, as well as screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and breast and cervical cancer. In some rural communities, Planned Parenthood is the only provider of such services.
In states like Utah, where Planned Parenthood is the only organization receiving Title X funds, and Minnesota, where Planned Parenthood serves 90 percent of the Title X patients, those seeking care may face long waits for appointments, the group said, while other patients may delay care or go without. Over all, Planned Parenthood gets more Title X money than any single group, and it serves 40 percent of all Title X patients.
Also Check: Free Dental Implants Grants
