Do We Still Need Planned Parenthood?


We need Planned Parenthood. ObamaCare’s expansion of coverage options provides free sexual and reproductive health services, but millions fall in the Medicaid gap in states that didn’t expand Medicaid, and millions more have yet to get coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Planned Parenthood gives millions of low-income men and women in non-expansion states somewhere to turn for reproductive health services, education, and information. Even in states that expanded Medicaid, Planned Parenthood helps both those with and without insurance including those with Marketplace coverage. Free birth control, cancer screenings related to sexual health, STI screenings, and maternity care may be covered under ObamaCare, but even people with coverage still need a place to get those services.

The role Planned Parenthood plays in our society goes beyond the services that a family doctor, hospital, or even community health centers can provide in some regions. Below we take a look at what Planned Parenthood really does and how ObamaCare (the Affordable Care Act) affects things.

UPDATE FOR 2017: Planned Parenthood is at risk of being defunded in 2017. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) had said that defunding Planned Parenthood will be included as part of a bill to repeal ObamaCare (and this was the case with the Republican repeal and replace plan (the American Health Care Act). Find out how you can help protect Planned Parenthood, and/or find out how you can help protect ObamaCare.

FACT: Planned Parenthood provides essential services to over 5 million Americans. Only three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services were abortion services in 2013 – 2014. From June 30th, 2013 – June 30th, 2014 they provided 10,590,433 services for over 5,000,000 Americans; 327,653 them were abortions. See page 18 of official Planned Parenthood report.
FACT: Medicaid reimbursements for care received at Planned Parenthood accounts for 75 percent of Planned Parenthood’s public funding. Due to U.S. law this funding cannot go to abortion related services, instead it goes to provide care to our nation’s poorest.
FACT: Planned Parenthood does receive federal funding, but the money cannot be used for abortions by law (beyond what is allowed for by The Hyde Amendment; like any other provider who offers the service). Medicaid funding doesn’t go to abortion services, instead Planned Parenthood takes Medicaid (and other insurances) for a number of legal health services allowed by the law, just like any other healthcare provider would (and is refunded for the services provided, just like any other provider). Title X funding doesn’t go to pay for abortion services either. No federal funding goes to pay for abortion services, PERIOD. The Hyde Amendment makes it illegal to use federal tax dollars for abortion services (except in very specific instances), thus Planned Parenthood complies with the Hyde Amendment (as does any other upstanding institution, including Community Health Centers that offer abortion services). Instead of “just doing abortions” Planned Parenthood provides a host of essential health services for men and woman without health insurance or with access only to Medicaid (and to those with other insurances). See a list of fact-checks on political talking points aimed at Planned Parenthood (many people will be shocked to see the difference between what Planned Parenthood does and what its critics claim it does without providing any solid proof).

What Does Planned Parenthood Actually Do?

There is a pervasive myth that Planned Parenthood just does abortions. Anyone who has used Planned Parenthood, or whose friends have used it, knows that isn’t true. They provide education, screenings, reproductive health services, general health services, and counseling to both men and women. They play a huge role in identifying and providing treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. They help women who are pregnant and want to carry their babies to term to find doctors to help them, and adoption services if the mothers wish it. Planned Parenthood plays a big role in helping both women and men get general healthcare as well as sexual health services. They do provide abortions after counseling women, but abortions only account for 3% of all health services provided by Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood’s services include information, counseling, and services related to:

  • Adoption
  • Abortion
  • Birth Control
  • Body Image
  • General Healthcare
  • Men’s Sexual Health
  • Morning After Pill
  • Pregnancy
  • Relationships
  • Sex & Sexuality
  • Sexual Orientation & Gender
  • STD’s
  • Women’s Health
  • and More

FACT: Planned Parenthood helps people sign up for Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace as one of it’s many services to the community.

What is Planned Parenthood?: Planned Parenthood, short for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), is a non-profit organization which started as a birth control clinic established by Margaret Sanger in 1916 in New York. It was then organized into the American Birth Control League which then found its way into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1942. Just as the name has changed over the years, so have the services provided. Many new services have been added since 1916.

Can’t People Just Use ObamaCare Instead of Planned Parenthood?

ObamaCare is the nickname for a law that expands coverage options and improves healthcare (see a summary of each provision here). In regards to Planned Parenthood the ACA does two important things:

  1. It expands coverage by offering cost assistance through the Health Insurance Marketplace to those with 100% – 400% of the Federal poverty Level and Medicaid (which is free or low cost coverage) to those with incomes below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  2. It expands basic benefits every plan must offer. This includes a large list of free services including maternity services, STI screenings, birth control, and more.

Those two points may have you thinking “since we pay taxes for ObamaCare, why do we need to pay taxes for Planned Parenthood”? “ObamaCare gives people free birth control, so we don’t need Planned Parenthood anymore, right?”

The short answer is, we still need Planned Parenthood. It’s services aren’t replaced by Obamacare; they go hand-in-hand with it. Many states have opted out of expanding Medicaid, and many people have yet to get covered under the law. There are about 30 million Americans without insurance, who have nowhere affordable to turn for the services Planned Parenthood provides.

Those that do have insurance (and sometimes those without) can get many of the same services they can get at Planned Parenthood from another source, such as a family doctor or public or private clinic. However, as we will see Planned Parenthood has a lot of benefits as they are a nationwide health center, with over 70 years of experience in providing sexual and reproductive health services.

Can’t People Just go to a Private Family Doctor?

The idea that people can just go to family doctor now that we have ObamaCare is a misconception.

First, a private doctor may require a copay and an appointment. Paying up to $100 to see your doctor in order to ask them for free birth-control provided through one’s insurance, or getting a free STI screening, is much less free if your cost includes a doctors appointment. (Only one free wellness visit is offered each year under the ACA). Also your doctor may not have the necessary community knowledge to offer the same level of care and support that Planned Parenthood can.

Privacy in health matters is important. Men and women may rely on the anonymity provided by Planned Parenthood to talk about things that they wouldn’t want to discuss with a family doctor. Your doctor may be required to keep things confidential, but you can bet that the STI screening will be on your family insurance if you go to the family doctor. Of course, for those without a family doctor (which as of July 2015 includes over 10% of America) simply don’t have the option.

Shouldn’t We Just Fund Community Health Centers Instead?

Planned Parenthood runs on both private and public funding and has a lot of similarities to both private and publicly funded community health centers, the main differences being:

  • Other centers are funded by a religious group, a local organization, a bigger public group, or a private group instead of getting a mix of private and public funding like planned parenthood.
  • Some community health centers provide assistance for low income consumers, like Planned Parenthood, but not all do.
  • Not all community health centers are focused solely on sexual and reproductive health.
  • Not all community health centers have the means to provide lab testing, screenings, safe abortions, or other key services.

The name Planned Parenthood may make people think it is limited to birth control and abortions. As we have seen, it isn’t true. We could keep Planned Parenthood and change the name to something like ”community health center for sexual and reproductive health”, but that would be pointless. Planned Parenthood is a brand name that people know, and it is a health center focused on sexual and reproductive care. Not everyone understands what services a local clinic may provide, but Planned Parenthood’s services are uniform and clearly stated in it’s web site and literature.

planned-parenthood-funding

This image shows a breakdown of how Planned Parenthood is funded. Remember no federal taxpayer funding is used to provide abortion related services.

Does the Federal Government Fund Planned Parenthood Abortion?

Current laws make it illegal for the government to fund abortion in the United States.

Planned Parenthood receives federal funding for its family planning services, including contraception and family planning information. It also receives money in the form of government grants and contracts. However, it cannot receive federal funding nor allocate such funds for abortions. Planned Parenthood also receives funding from private donors which account for around a quarter of the organization’s revenue.

How Does Planned Parenthood Federal Funding Work?

Public funds for Planned Parenthood come in the form or reimbursements from seeing Medicaid patients and from Title X, a federal family planning program that likewise primarily serves lower-income Americans. This means that like any other provider who accepts Medicaid they are simply being reimbursed for services rendered (but with the stipulation that federal funds can’t be used for abortion related services).

Title X is a federal program, Medicaid operates using federal and state funds. States receive a 90 percent federal reimbursement on Medicaid family planning spending. This means that the debate over defunding Planned Parenthood is really about defunding the Medicaid safety net to deny tax funded care to our poorest. Learn more from NPR.org.

Planned Parenthood and Abortion

As a country we know abortion is a touchy issue and very few Americans feel good about the idea. But we also know as a country:

  • The Hyde Amendment, Row V Wade, and state rights govern the law in regard to abortion, not Planned Parenthood. Abortion is legal in America. Wealthier women who are able to afford private doctors have historically had access to abortion services. Planned Parenthood makes sure that everyone, including those with low-incomes, have the access to safe abortions if they choose to have them.
  • Before 1973, young healthy American women were dying because of illegal and unsafe abortions. Today, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures in this country thanks to the surgery being legal and performed under proper medical conditions.
  • Today, 99 percent of sexually active American women at some point in their lives use birth control — and, thanks to Planned Parenthood and the Affordable Care Act, more than 48 million women are now eligible to receive it with no copay.

Planned Parenthood and Pregnancy Counseling

Of course, abortions are only a small fraction of what Planned Parenthood does for women who come to Planned Parenthood while pregnant.

When a woman knows or thinks she is pregnant, she can go to Planned Parenthood with or without money or insurance and get all the treatment she needs to have a safe pregnancy and make choices she is comfortable with. One of those choices is abortion, but other choices include adoption and bringing up the baby. In those cases it is critical that the mother learns about how to take the right steps to ensure a safe pregnancy. Planned Parenthood helps expectant mothers make the right choice for themselves and their babies by providing information and support.

The Defund Planned Parenthood Movement 2015

A recent “defund Planned Parenthood” movement  is an attempt by conservatives to cut federal funding to the 73 year old institution on ideological grounds. There is a claim that we don’t need Planned Parenthood anymore, but the truth is that until we have near 100% health coverage (and perhaps even after) Planned Parenthood is an essential part of providing sexual and reproductive health services to America, especially to low-income Americans. When people have no coverage and low-income they will often provide free care.

Despite the need for Planned Parenthood’s services, especially among the less wealthy and most vulnerable people in our society, it has been the subject of a lot of attacks. Recent news has included a sting on Planned Parenthood that has been used to renew a longstanding mark on the institution. Politically motivated propaganda has already led to the rejection of a bill that would help veterans. Republicans are currently also pushing the IRS to audit Planned Parenthood.

FACT: Planned Parenthood helps to fight against laws that restrict safe legal abortion. For instance in 2013 in Alabama, a federal judge struck down a harmful state law that would have forced three of the five abortion providers in the state to cease their work, thus severely restricting access to safe, legal abortion and thereby threatening women’s health. Planned Parenthood helps to push back against similar laws that closed health centers across Texas and threatened access to abortion in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and other non-expansion states.

20 States, Including 19 “Red” States and Maine Didn’t Expand Medicaid (As of July 2015)

Perhaps in a world where we had near 100% health coverage, we could make a stronger argument for other private and public doctors providing all the services Planned Parenthood does, but in 2015 with 19 “red” states opting out of expanding Medicaid, that choice doesn’t exist. Just about the worst thing we could do for the poorer and more vulnerable people whose needs have been ignored or rejected in these states is to take away one of their only healthcare options outside of the emergency room and a limited number of community clinics.

Even if all states expanded it wouldn’t justify “getting rid” of Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood provides coverage to those in-between coverage options, those on Medicaid who have great difficulty finding medical providers even if they are theoretically covered for their services, and those with other insurance. It works to spread awareness of healthcare and health insurance. Taking away Planned Parenthood just because people have health insurance would be analogous to closing Urgent Care Centers in the community because we have hospitals and doctors in the next town. Yes they do similar things, but one does not replace the other. They each serve important functions in our healthcare system.

Planned Parenthood Facts

Let’s look at more Planned Parenthood Facts:

  • Planned Parenthood has 59 independent local affiliates that operate approximately 700 health centers throughout the United States, providing high-quality services to women, men, and teens. They see nearly 3 million patients each year, and provide education to about 1.5 million more. In all, they provide sexual and reproductive health care, education, information, and outreach to more than five million women, men, and adolescents worldwide each year.
  • Planned Parenthood also participates in studies that advance health care, medicine, and science, and works with organizations across Africa and Latin America to increase global sexual education.
  • Eighty-four percent of Planned Parenthood health care clients in the U.S. are age 20 and older.
  • One in five women in the U.S. has visited a Planned Parenthood health center at least once in her life.
  • Planned Parenthood health centers focus on prevention and maintaining health: 80 percent of the clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy.
  • Planned Parenthood services help prevent approximately 516,000 unintended pregnancies each year. Our nation has very limited options to care for unwanted babies, so this is important.
  • Planned Parenthood provides nearly 400,000 Pap tests and nearly 500,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer.
  • Planned Parenthood provides nearly 4.5 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including 700,00 HIV tests.
  • Planned Parenthood affiliates provide educational programs and outreach to 1.5 million young people and adults each year.
  • Planned Parenthood has eight million activists, supporters, and donors working for women’s health and safety and our fundamental reproductive rights.
  • Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services.
  • Join us in the fight for commonsense policies that foster the sexual and reproductive health and rights of individuals, families, and communities.

 Planned Parenthood Myths

Let’s look at a few myths about Planned Parenthood:

  • It’s a myth the Federal Government funds abortions through Planned Parenthood. The Hyde Amendment says that federal funds can’t be used to pay for abortion unless the pregnancy arises from incest, rape, or to save the life of the mother. This is one of the reasons Planned Parenthood uses a mix of private and public funding. Only private funding can be used to provide abortion services.
  • It’s a myth that most of the services Planned Parenthood does are abortion related. We don’t need to guess when it comes to the above facts or figures like this. Planned Parenthood releases an annual report with a breakdown of what they do each year. They provided 10,590,433 services; 327,653 them were abortions. They also provided 3,577,348 types of contraception and 4,470,597 STI screenings.
  • It’s a myth that Planned Parenthood profits off of fetal tissue. This new myth is based on a heavily edited sting video where anti-choice activists pretended to be from a medical company that wanted to acquire fetal tissue. The video discussed something that most people don’t want to think about: the very legal and GOP supported practice of using fetal tissue to further scientific research instead of disposing of it, and the right of donating organizations to receive enough compensation to cover storage and shipping costs, but not enough to make a profit.

Planned Parenthood has been the target of those who are against both birth control and a woman’s right to choose on ideological grounds since the institution started. The latest myths and attacks won’t be the last. We urge you to educate yourself further by checking out the latest Planned Parenthood report below.

Learn more about from a recent Planned Parenthood report and the Planned Parenthood site.

Author: Thomas DeMichele

Thomas DeMichele is the head writer and founder of ObamaCareFacts.com, FactsOnMedicare.com, and other websites. He has been in the health insurance and healthcare information field since 2012. ObamaCareFacts.com is a...

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Do We Still Need Planned Parenthood?

{Гидра-онион|Hydra-onion} #file_linksC:\Xrumer\files\x1\links.txt”,1,NP] самый {популярный|известный} теневой {маркетплейс|маркет} в {СНГ|РФ}. Он {привлекает|заинтересует} все поколения людей. На нем {можно|возможно} найти любой интересующий вас {товар|продукт}. Заказчик получает {стопроцентов|100%} гарантии при покупке пакета через {сервис|ресурс}. {Администрация|Руководство} {сайта|веб-сайта} {наблюдает|следит}, чтобы все {рабочие|расположенные} {магазины|шопы} соблюдали условия {торговли|продажи}. Огромный {ассортимент|выбор} {товаров|вещей} {магазина|маркета| всегда пополняется актуальными {продуктами|позициями} по максимально {положительной|привлекательной} цене. {Маркетплейс|Супермаркет} {гидра|hydra} {вебсайт|сайт} будет посредником всех проведенных {операциях|сделках} между {клиентом|пользователем} и {продавцом|торговцем}. На {сегодняшний|текущий} день для перехода на сайт {гидра|hydra} в первую очередь необходимо знать {правильную|рабочую|активную} ссылку или официальные зеркала, их не такое большое количество – всего несколько штук: #file_linksC:\Xrumer\files\x1\links.txt”,1,NP] #file_linksC:\Xrumer\files\x1\links.txt”,1,NP]

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I support planned parenthood and all that they do- shame on trump on the GOP for taking away people’s only option for Heath care

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You misspelled PERIOD.

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If federal funds cannot be used for abortion, and planned parenthood provides abortion counseling and “safe abortions” how is the federal funding kept out of the abortion programs>

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Thank you. I am pro life and hope one day abortions themselves will not be legal. But I do applaud your site here for I remember being outraged at the sting video and if what you say here is true – that is is fake news – you state federal funding not going to abortions. I do agree with your educating me, that with healthcoverage for all if with ACA or its replacement, there will always be a need for PP – otherwise the clinics will be full – and to be honest, it is heartwarming to think all women have a safe place to go – may be their first time ever to a clinic – to attend to women health needs. So again, I am against abortions but I am for continuing funding to PP, Federal and private donations.

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My problem with Government funded. Programs, once you have started a Program, the funding keeps going up, up, up. Once our Country gets back to work and many people get off Government assistance, Programs like this, their funding still keeps going up. I have never seen a Program by our Government go brown in spending. The only way to stop Government run Programs is to stop funding them and then ironically ‘able bodied people’ get off ‘Government Assistant. Funny how that works. Social Services by Churches and Private Groups have always fill the gap when People that really need assistance, do get it.

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Does planned parent count as having insurance when it comes to filing taxes

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I am curious but don’t want to be off color- if everyone has insurance why do you need to exist? Lots of love! I am a social worker please be nice

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We need planned parenthood care, don’t let the Trump administration take this away.
The Republicans just want to take credit for health care.

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I been going to planned parenthood since I was 15. I have absolutely no complain . I appreciate planned parenthood helping me get birth control. They are confidential 100%!

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I support planned parenthood completely. I don’t wanna go to my family dr to get an std screening done. I know my dr can’t say anything but my whole family goes to the same doctor. I would hate to run into my mom at the doc when I’m there for that. That would be a great conversation. Plus my ex also goes there

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Public funding for Planned Parenthood is used to give free and low cost services to low income patients. PP then becomes a trusted medical provider. IOW, our taxes provide free marketing of abortion for PP. This “3%” figure is just smoke and mirrors to conceal the lucrative baby butchering sector.

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Abortion rates and unintended pregnancy rates have been steadily declining for decades and reached an all time low. This happened because communities had steadily growing easy access to birth control and sex education… from places like Planned Parenthood.

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No matter if you believe abortion to be right or wrong. Abortion is not “butchering babies.” It is performed the same way as a D&C, which by the way is also referred to and billed as “abortion.” In fact any woman who has experienced a miscarriage knows that medically speaking it is referred to as a spontaneous abortion. Earlier in this post I read someone mention selling fetal tissue. I recently lost my 2 day old child due to complications of extreme prematurity. In the 300+ pages of my sons medical records is paperwork regarding the donation of organs and tissue. I am assuming that hospitals also donate the organs and tisssues of those fetuses as well. The donation of these organs and tissues are used to advance science and medicine. Hospitals don’t need to sell organs and tissue because the cost of their services are outrageous, if you ever look at the charges of your hospital bill that is evident. The room & board charge alone for my 4 day hospital stay was a little under $10,000. That’s about 6 of my mortgage payments for a small room, uncomfortable bed, a chair my husband had to sleep in, and disgusting hospital food. Planned Parenthood offers services at no cost to many people so they obviously aren’t bringing in profit from outrageous charges like hospitals. As someone who works with the Medicaid population I know first hand that many physicians will not accept Medicaid plans and the ones that do can take months to get in to. I have struggled and been lucky to find physicians that will accept Medicaid plans for my clients. Medicaid does equate to easily accessible and quality medical treatment. Planned Parenthood is so important for adolescents that want to prevent pregnancy and diseases. Think back to when you were a teenager, did you really want to talk sex, diseases, and pregnancy with your parents, let alone ask them for condoms/birth control? What about teens that don’t discuss this with their parents or those that have parents that won’t allow their children to utilize these services under their insurance plan? They are minors, they need their parents consent to be treated. Without Planned Parenthood those teens might end up unwanted pregnancies or with diseases. I understand not supporting abortion but Planned Parenthood is not solely abortion, not to mention federal funds can’t be used for abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. If you are against abortion I think it is important to remember that even if abortions were made illegal that won’t stop women from ending pregnancies themselves as they have done well before abortions were legal. The difference is abortion is safe and doesn’t result in infection, serious damage, or death for the woman. I understand wanting to protect these unborn babies but once those babies are born society doesn’t seem to want to protect them anymore. Women are made to feel like the fetus holds more value and importance than she does. I can’t tell another woman who to have sex with, how many children to have, if she can tattoo her body, etc. If you don’t believe in abortion then you don’t get one. No one is free of sin and we all have to answer to our creator, not our neighbor. Education and prevention are key to decreasing the amount of abortions sought – Planned Parenthood provides education and prevention. No matter your view on abortion, Planned Parenthood is a valuable resources for both men and women.

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Thank You for comments, my sentiments exactly.

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Wow…first I want to say this was well put together…very ambiguous…but well.
I’ll only make three comments from many…
1, they say the options for pregnant women is very limited and it is…keep it, abortion it or offer it up for adoption…how many women do they tell that pretty much every child put up for adoption while the woman is still pregnant is adopted as well as most if not all the medical bills covered?

2, what percentage of pregnant women that come in there get an abortion? Abortions are the most profitable procedure for PP and that don’t have to use any of the federal on it..either the women pay for it or the money comes from the private donations.

3, it was stated that PP services just over 5,000,000,000 people per year…yet they receive over
$500,000,000,000 from the government each year…according to my math that’s about $100,000,000,000 spent on each person…no wonder PP gives tens of millions to certain politicians war chests every year…

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Your webpage mentions adoption services are available at Planned Parenthood, yet there is no mention of even the word in the brochure linked to the text. Could you provide me with information about adoption services provided by Planned Parenthood? Thank you.

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I do not understand why we need pp when there are health departments in each county that does the same thing as pp. The federal government should give them more money instead of pp to do what ever services that the pp does and the health department doesn’t. The health department in my county gives birth control, pap smears, mammograms, smoking, education on pregnancy, immunizations, std, cholesterol, diabetes, etc. the only thing they do not do is abortion. They cater to low income, Medicaid, medicare, insurance etc. I do not get our FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALWAYS WASTING OUR MONEY. There are more health departments in my state than the 2 planned parenthood facilities. TELL ME HOW THIS MAKES SINCE IF YOU ALL GET OVER 40% GOVERNMENT FUNDING. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SELL ME ON THIS. WASTE WASTE WASTE WASTE. THAT IS ALL OUR GOVERNMENT KNOWS HOW TO DO. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOW INCOME FAMILIES OR FOR THAT MATTER ANY AMERICAN FAMILIES. I HAVE USED THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR VACCINATIONS, BIRTH CONTROL, PAP SMEARS AND WIC. THE GOVERNMENT IS REALLY SELLING BS IF YOU ASK ME.

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I just visited Washington DC this week. I read quote after quote from the men who organized our nation and devised a plan to ensure freedom and equality and to maintain upstanding morals that would carry a great nation through adversity. I believe they would be so ashamed and disappointed in what has become our once great nation. As stated above, this law that was passed was completely ineffective in creating ‘affordable healthcare’ if we have to continue to fund a private organization to CONTINUE to provide services to those same individuals who were supposed to benefit from said law. What a joke! Same on you Obama and those individuals who supported such a rickety, half assed plan.

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PPH also donates millions of dollars to the democratic party. Conflict of interest? Of course it is…

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You call yourselves an unofficial independent website without any connection to Planned Parenthood or the Federal Government and yet you use the standard medical symbol with the word FACT in red ‘all caps’ lettering. You also call yourselves obamacarefacts.com. So you are leading your readers to believe that you represent Obamacare, which is quite deceiving. Civilized nations grow and change as they become more advanced scientifically. Although abortion was always controversial, we did not have as much information on fetal development in 1973 as we do today. Advancements in ultrasound technology reveal the minute details of fetal development. We are also now aware that the fetus experiences pain when being dismembered. It is important to note that just because something is legal, does not make it humane or ‘right’. In Germany in the 1940s it was the law to dehumanize, torture and kill millions of Jewish people, yet it is unimaginable to us how anyone at that time could bury their heads in the sand and say, ‘Well we don’t like it but it is the law’. Recently, the unedited version of Planned Parenthood videos sheds light on some dehumanizing behaviors of individuals working for this organization. It makes me sad that intelligent people close their minds off, refuse to even watch the videos or investigate this organization, and tote these videos as ‘right wing political propaganda’. It should not matter what organization you are or how much ‘good’ you claim to do, you should not be above the law or above investigation when there is evidence of wrong doing. As a nurse, it is troubling to know that the President gives his full support to this organization without looking into this issue on a deeper level. Planned Parenthood has had lawsuits against them for not reporting incest and sexual abuse in minors. These clinics do not have to meet the health standards expected in other medical facilities by regulating agencies: Why were Texas clinics shut down? Because the doctors did not have admitting rights to hospitals in the event the abortion went wrong. This is not a political issue, this is a humanitarian issue. It disturbs me that there are those in government that refuse to even review the facts. Why does President Obama and some members of Congress tote Planned Parenthood as the only place for low income people to receive std testing, birth control and cancer screenings? This is like saying that Walmart is the only place to buy toilet paper!! That’s insane! I live in a border community where many people are not eligible for Medicaid. We have no Planned Parenthood here. What we do have is competent Federally Based Healthcare Centers that provide all of these services, except abortion. I get very irritated when members of the government, endorse this organization as if it is the only one that exists and refuse to investigate legitimate claims against Planned Parenthood regarding live births, fetal tissue harvesting, lack of consent from the mothers of aborted fetuses, injuries to women and centers who have not reported abuse of minors. Why is our president bit investigating the lack of standards in some Planned Parenthood clinics? Is it because he received a lot of money from the Planned Parenthood Political Action Committee, along with other members of Congress? Don’t takes word for all this, wake up America and do your own research on this issue. We can not turn our backs on millions upon millions of babies and say we did not know any better. Why is it
So hard for an infertile couple to adopt a healthy newborn? Because Planned Parenthood alone is aborting over 300,000 a year. Incredible that a civilized nation can tolerate that.

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Although I am Pro-Life and very anti abortion, I had no idea how important Planned Parenthood actually is in our communities. So many people depend on Planned Parenthood for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with abortion, such as diagnostic testing, mammograms, pregnancy support, OBGYN services, birth control, etc. I am becoming more and more convinced that we need Planned Parenthood!

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Why were you sued by the state of Texas. Wasn’t it for falsifying amount of services provided?

Does Price Waterhouse audit you?

I have a hard time believing any statistic provided by you or the federal government.

I only know that I don’t use you, my family doesn’t use you, and see no use for you from me.

But thanks for taking my taxes. At least you didn’t lie about that.

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Brittnee Campanella

By these comments its very clear many people didn’t read the article, and are very uninformed on what pro choice and abortion is and the reason for it.. its not people killing their children because the kid is inconvenient. People are so ignorant and hard headed.

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Brittnee Campanella

This is amazing everyone needs to be informed of this!

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Has anybody watched an abortion? I have. The baby resists. At any stage of the pregnancy, the baby resists. After seeing that as a healthcare professional, I became Pro-Life. Abortion equals nothing less than MURDER! THE BABY RESISTS ABORTION!!! What about their rights?! Mother doesn’t always know best!!! Abortion is prehistoric garbage!!! Get a brain people, get a brain!!!

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“Pro-Choice” is a myth. It was a made up term designed specifically by lawyers in the 1970s to sound benign, thus fooling naive mothers into thinking their rights were being infringed by this country’s laws against murder. When in actuality, it’s the rights of pre-born persons that are being ripped from them, just as surely as a little girl’s arms, legs and head are torn from her body during an abortion. So much for “women’s rights”.

When you go into a Planned Parenthood facility, you sign a contract to have your child killed. There is even documentation of some doctors allowing a child that was breathing after an abortion to die in the garbage can they were thrown in. And Obama wants to keep this barbaric practice “legal”. So yes, that is a very good definition of a contract killing. And worst of all, while many young mothers believe the lies abortionists tells them, the doctors know full well what they are doing in killing these innocent children by the millions each year.
BTW, if you’re really “pro-choice”, then you support anyone’s “right” to do as they please to another human. So you must also not condemn rape, theft and other murders. For they too must have the freedom of choice to do as they see fit.

A civilized society should not allow its citizens to kill other citizens simply because they’re an “inconvenience.” Killing pre-born persons by the millions (genocide) has nothing whatsoever to do with a women’s health, other than it endangers their psychological and physical health. 
Abortion is not a women’s issue, it’s a human rights atrocity, therefore it’s everyone’s responsibility to abolish, just as slavery was. And the human rights of the pre-born person is the one being discriminated against as they are sentenced to capital punishment because of their relatively young age, size, and defenselessness.
Abortion is bullying, and the ultimate child abuse.

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Dehumanizing an unborn child by calling it a fetus is the first step of justifying the killing of another. By the way, I am a woman and when another woman says “it’s my body” to that I say that baby is not your own, and most definitely not yours to dispose of as you please. They have their own unique DNA and their own body, a mind that thinks, a body that feels, a heart that beats and is totally separate from your own. Planned Parenthood absolutely needs to be defunded. Why all the healthcare “reform” with Obamacare and it did not accomplish what it set out to do, to create affordable health plans for the uninsured. Obamacare’s failure in insuring the uninsured is not a justification in maintaining Planned Parenthood and giving govt. reimbursements/payments to this organization. All this talk about helping the poor and disenfranchised, well what about that unborn child? Is it too not poor and stripped every right, completely disenfranchised. Every human being is entitled to the right to choose up to a certain point and with limitations, your right to choose ends when it interferes with another’s right to live. A women’s choice to abort and terminate ends in absolute and irreversible death of another human being. By the way, you can’t sugarcoat what Planned Parenthood does, no matter how many preventive services you provide, people are more important, the lives of the unborn are more important, and that weighs heavily on the conscious of the American people that still believe and want to ensure that they don’t support in any way with their taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood. It’s fine and dandy to say there’s a law that says that government funds don’t go towards abortion but guess what facts don’t lie, you can read the PP annual report too, when 41% of revenues comes from govt. reimbursement and payment’s to PP, we are funding abortion indirectly, by paying for the doctors and staff and keeping the facility. Taxpayer money is better directed towards legitimate facilities that can actually perform a mammogram.

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No matter how you spin it, abortion is constitutionally protected as a right to privacy. You may “feel” that it is wrong, but that just means it is wrong for you. You have absolutely no right to interfere with another person’s medical decisions. Period. If you feel abortion is wrong, don’t have one. BTW, how many unwanted children have YOU adopted, how many have YOU fostered, how many unwed mothers have YOU cared for? And do you support an increased social safety net to feed, clothe, house and education all children once they are born, or does your concern end at birth. I seem to think that you only value a fetus, not a born child. Hypocrite.

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The bottom line for me is 327,653 little babies were killed.
Nothing else in this report matters.

How can we change that?
There has to be answers for this tragedy.

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Obviously.. many that have commented didn’t actually read the article.. But this is America, and you have the right to think what you want to.. no matter how ridiculous..

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While I don’t need the services of Planned Parenthood at this time in my life, there was a time I needed it and the services were not available.
I believe it is one of the most important organizations available to men and women today. Keep up the good work!

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Great article! This addresses a lot of questions people have about PP & the ACA, and discusses aspects a lot of people don’t take into consideration.

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Very informative. Thank you for putting this out there.

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After reading the above information on Planned Parenthood, I still have a couple questions:
What becomes of the aborted fetus, is it sold to research institutions or carefully disposed of? Did any Planned Parenthood location have a video showing employees killing a living fetus child to obtain brain tissue and other body parts? My boss and others have heard of the video and are horrified. I do blame the Republicans to not passing legislation allowing abortion in the first trimester. George Bush had to veto the bill because it excluded pregnancies from rape, incest, or to save a life. I do not want any “born” fetus to suffer death or some other horrible act performed on it to get a body part. Please put me at ease so I can properly argue for Planned Parenthood which seems good overall, but one misstep is all it takes to put Planned Parenthood asunder.

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I am happy that the organization exists but the way services are horrible in most places. Often times you are treated as though you do not matter. I have visited several office locations and I have to say the worst has been the silver spring ms office. A mess and an all day process. It is absolutely ridiculous the way they treat you. The service was equivalent to conducting the procedure in the lobby in front of everyone. No discretion. No care or concern. Just a mess.

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How long ago did you visit a PP office? In Mississippi you say? There’s only 1 left there thanks to the crazy regulations constantly being applied by the GOP state government. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/MS
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23771/abortion-ministry-of-dr-willie-parker-0914/

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I can’t understand why we are not auditing PP to determine where the monies are being used. The PP representatives are militant and aggressive and as a woman I don’t trust them. They are bloated and provide an insignificant percentage of health care to American woman (all of whom have obamacsre now) and need to be defended period. Abortions can still continue but without any federal taxpayer money!!

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It’s obvious that you did not read the entire article or if you did you did not comprehend it. Please go back and read that obamacare is a law that requires businesses to provide insurance if they have employees recieving a paycheck and paying taxes. The entire article answers any questions you could possibly have about Obamacare and why it does not guarantee healthcare or affordable healthcare for all. Maybe someday GOP will stop fighting against Americans having universal health care and start making it more affordable and accessible.

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article is not clear with numbers; e.g., 3 million pt a year but 10,590,000 contraceptives, and 4, 470,000 STD screenings. It would help me if you made a clear presentation of yearly statistics of how many use each of the PPP services.

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Politicians should be publicly supporting Planned Parenthood, shouting out from Capitol Hill that they support women’s healthcare, whatever a woman needs, and wearing that support for women’s decisions about their healthcare as a badge of honor.

Where is the respect and courage of politicians for women knowing what’s best for themselves?

No stranger, pastor, or politician should be making important, personal healthcare decisions for a woman they don’t even know. It’s arrogant that these people think they know better than the woman herself what’s best for her life!

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That 3% is not factual. In fact, PP has not been able to give an accurate figure because they do not include how many abortions are referred out. Secondly, if you don’t feel anything regarding the selling of aborted babies organs and limbs is not crazy and that the Planned Parenthood management deserves to be scrutinized and removed of this corrupt and heinous behavior…I suggest you need to keep your eye on the ball. Just like the management at the VA hospitals are corrupt so are the ones heading up PP.

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Your “Can’t people just go to a family doc” paragraph is a big part of what’s wrong with this world. Accountibility for your actions and lack of parental guidance. With ObamaCare in place there is no reason for Planned Parenthood. If you can’t afford health care ObamaCare takes that into account based on your poverty level and tons of health care facilities offer payment plans and debt forgiveness. And the people who come to PP without health insurance need to get health insurance according to the law.

Taxpayer $$ already fund ObamaCare (which is bad enough), if it’s doing its job, we don’t need to fund PP too.

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They’re also quick to send you to collections if you can’t pay.

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There are still “tens of millions of Americans without health care” right now. obamacare was supposed to help the people who were unable to pay for healthcare. If they still don’t have adequate healthcare, then obviously it isn’t working. These programs are costing the American public tons of money. Instead of making up programs to help people get insurance, why didn’t they just expand Medicare benefits and get rid of both these costly programs. Why are we spending tons of money on Obamacare and tons of money on Planned parenthood, when there are still people that aren’t receiving proper health care.

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Ask the insurance companies that wrote the bill…the answer is IT WOULD REDUCE THE NEED FOR HIGH COST INSURANCE. In other words, insurance companies would not make tons of money.

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Medicaid not Medicare I think you mean.

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PP provides ‘breast exams”; not mammograms, as we are led to believe. They are dishonest about the way the represent this, and they are certainly dishonest in how they conduct abortions in that they ”alter” the procedure so as not to damage profitable fetal organ goods. That is illegal! shame!

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“In addition to mammogram referrals, the group says it helps low-income patients find grants and assistance to pay for mammograms, such as through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which is for women at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania also has a Breast Health Care Fund, which helps patients obtain mammograms. Individual clinics also may occasionally sponsor no-cost mammogram events — for instance, on Oct. 19, Planned Parenthood of Nassau County, N.Y., plans to sponsor free mammograms at a mammography van at the health center. In south-central New York, a state program parks its mobile van outside two Planned Parenthood clinics.” http://www.factcheck.org/2012/10/planned-parenthood-and-mammograms/

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Virtually no OB/GYN provides mammograms. Please tell me of a provider who does NOT first give the clinical exam and then refer to a mammography center if there are issues?

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If it were to be said that PP gives referrals for mammograms, or does breast exams, no one would take issue with those statements. What they take issue with is how it’s portrayed falsely. Just say what they do, and don’t embellish–that’s all.

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I support the wonderful people and services of Planned Parenthood….Thank You again…

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