Issue Brief Final 2

Theres No Plan B if Planned
Parenthood is Defunded
Sophia Mills
In this patriarchal society, it is

difficult to understand the needs for women.
What is Planned Parenthood?
All women require the same amount, if not
more, health care than men. They have to When people think of the phrase,
get mammograms, go to the gynecologist, Planned Parenthood they automatically
and purchase tampons and razors which are think abortions. Yes, Planned Parenthood
a big expense. Many women struggle to does administer abortions but they offer
obtain this healthcare, so much that much more than that. Planned Parenthood is
according to a new Commonwealth Fund more than just providing women with
report on women's health care, 18.7 million abortions. In a single year, Planned
U.S. women ages 19-64 were uninsured in Parenthood helps almost five million men,
2010, up from 12.8 million in 2000. An women, and adolescents. iii They work to
additional 16.7 million women were ensure heathy lifestyles in terms of sexual
underinsured in 2010, compared with 10.3 health and general well-being. Planned
million in 2003.i The fact that this many Parenthood also focuses on pregnancy
women are without any sort of healthcare is prevention by providing the insertion of
very concerning and must be fixed by IUDs and offering the pill, as well as Plan B.
another source. They also give mammograms, Pap tests, and
STD screenings to those in need. If Planned
Parenthood is defunded, this would mean
one of the most affordable, and most reliable
healthcare provider of not just resources but
"Women, particularly those in their
sex education as welliv would be ripped from
childbearing years, are uniquely at risk for
peoples grasps. As the leading healthcare
being unable to afford the care they need,
provider, Planned Parenthood must remain
having trouble with medical bills, and
as an organization to be able to provide for
having high out-of-pocket costs,"
those in need and ensure the health of people
-Sara Collins all throughout the United States.
v
Commonwealth Fund
Vice President
ii
It is extremely important to maintain

the health of not just women, but all people
across the nation. With the recent
inauguration of Donald Trump, Planned
Parenthood and Obamacare are at risk; it is
now more than ever to act.
Most Affordable Healthcare healthcare provider, this leaves them paying
out-of-pocket for expenses that should be
Provider covered no matter what the circumstances.
Now, the ACA covers womens birth
Recently, the Affordable Care Act control but before it went into action, 30%
(ACA) has been threatened by the Trump to 44% of womens out-of-pocket costs was
Administration. This act ensured that private contraception.ix Thanks to Obamacare,
health care insurances were able to offer womens healthcare is now attainable and
their services without co-pays or affordable. In its first year alone, the
deductibles. Needless to say, the Affordable Affordable Care Act allowed women to
Care Act has revolutionized the healthcare obtain birth control without a co-pay and has
field for women. assisted in saving women $1.4 billion on
birth control.x Obamacare helped millions
of people, not just women, thrive from all
the benefits it gave them. It is unethical for
the government to let its people suffer and
be without health care when providing it is
very easy and helps keeps people financially
Among women who receive care from a family
stable.
planning center like Planned Parenthood, nearly
xi
4 in 10 report that it is their only source of
health care.
vi [Cite your source here.]
The biggest change that the ACA

provided was it eliminated the pre-existing
conditions clause. This stated that if a
patient had a preexisting condition, whether
it be cancer, or a tumor, or any other disease,
some healthcare providers would not cover
them. Before the implementation of the
ACA, women were often turned away
because of their pre-existing conditions. Not only did Obamacare
This might include breast cancer, pregnancy, revolutionize healthcare for women, it
or domestic violence many of which are helped with discrimination as well. Women
out of their control. These women were then were forced to pay health insurance just
forced to pay for insurances that completely because they were born without a penis.
ignored these conditions.vii This was causing Though men and women are different
an economic burden on women, making biologically, healthcare is the one thing that
them pay out- of-pocket, over 100 dollars a must remain constant. The ACA made
year just for birth control or Pap scans everyone on an equal playing field. This is
things that should be arguably free or why not only Planned Parenthood, but the
women.viii If women are left without a
Affordable Care Act must not be defunded,
and must be protected at all costs.
Health Care Equity
Planned Parenthood fights for
reproductive health for all people. Health
care should not be unattainable; everyone
should have equal access to health care.
Today, minorities including women of color
and the LGBT community are at a
disadvantage for receiving the healthcare
they deserve. This health care is restricted xvi
due to facts out of their control like where
they live or because of their socioeconomic Planned Parenthood ensures this
status.xii heath care to people based on their own
xiii
personal needs. Equity is different than
equality. Equality means giving the same
thing to everyone, not factoring in peoples
differences. Equity on the other hand,
IN A NATIONWIDE STUDY, 19% OF accounts for these differences and then
TRANSGENDER AND GENDER- moves forward. Equity plays the same role
NONCONFORMING PEOPLE OVERALL with reproductive health. Planned
SAID THEY HAD NO HEALTH Parenthood seeks to give everyone a fair
INSURANCE AND 31% OF BLACK chance to obtain the health care that they
TRANSGENDER FOLKS SAID THE SAME. deserve.xvii This means that no matter a
persons race, gender, or socioeconomic
background, Planned Parenthood will
Putting income aside, these people of provide affordable health care to help those
color are at a disadvantage compared to live a healthy life.
white people. They are at a higher risk for
STDs, unintended pregnancy and lower What is the Importance of
infant mortality rates.xiv In the United States,
even with todays technology, these infant
Planned Parenthood?
mortality rates are worse than any other
developed country. Black women also have Obamacare is very important to
more than two times greater maternal those who are unfortunate; it gives people
morality than white women. xv who cannot afford insurance health care. As
a result, Planned Parenthood provides health
care to low-income families and people.
Nearly 78% of Planned Parenthoods
patients were under the poverty line due to
their incomes. For reference, the poverty
line is $36, 375 for a family of four.
Additionally, almost half of Planned women and Hispanic women to die from
Parenthoods patients are on Medicaid, cervical cancer than white women.xx It is
which also assists families and individuals important that Planned Parenthood plays a
alike.xviii It is important for a government to key role in detecting and treating these
assist its people in any way possible and diseases. Planned Parenthood serves a
providing funding to affordable health care variety of people, not just white women. As
access is even more crucial. of 2013, 22 percent of their patients were
Hispanic women and 14 percent of them
were African Americans.xxi As a trusted
Location, Location, Location source of preventative care, Planned
Parenthood must provide this health care to
all women of color.
Location of people also plays a role.
If a patient resides in New York City Sexual Education
looking for assistance from Planned
Parenthood, it would be relatively easy to
Sometimes health class just is not
find one due to the proximity of the
enough for people to truly understand what
buildings. Also, New York leans more to the
is occurring in their own bodies. Planned
left and this has a factor in the amount of
Parenthood works with the government to
Planned Parenthood clinics around. If
help educate the public on this very
someone is in the more conservative state of
important issue in order to stay healthy and
Kentucky looking for a Planned Parenthood,
make good decisions. Unlike most of the
the clinics are going to be more spread out
Planned Parenthood platform, this is not a
due to the rural distribution of the state. To
partisan issue. According to a Peter D. Hart
fix this uneven distribution, Planned
survey, many people from all ends of the
Parenthood has many of their clinics located
spectrum including, Democrats,
in rural areas or dilapidated areas. This due
Republicans, Evangelicals, and Catholics
to the fact that there are not many health
overwhelmingly support sex education.xxii
care resources in these areas to begin with.
This is due to the fact that too many
This is another example of how Planned
teenagers are having sex and getting
Parenthood wants to ensure that all people
pregnant and contracting sexually
have a fair access to this health care. xix
transmitted diseases, which is not beneficial
Race and Planned Parenthood for any healthy community.
xxiii
Not only location, but race can play a

role, as well. Some races have a
predisposition to be prone to more diseases The United States has the highest teen
and illnesses than others. For example, pregnancy rate among the worlds developed
African Americans are more likely to have nations and approximately 615,000 teenagers
Sickle Cell Anemia than white people. It is will become pregnant this year.
the same for womens issues. For example,
it is much more likely for African American
Planned Parenthood is the largest Planned Parenthood has also received
provider of sexual education in the threats that it should be defunded even
communities around the United States. before Barack Obama was in office. When
Planned Parenthood utilizes professors and these politicians talk about defunding
other educators in order to provide effective Planned Parenthood, they mean blocking
and accurate sexual education to 1.5 million those patients who rely on their services. As
young people in the United States. xxiv To discussed previously, many patients that go
help educate people on an even wider scale, to Planned Parenthood are of a lower-
Planned Parenthood created a program income status. They have no other option
called PREP (Personal Responsibility but to rely on this health care. If these
Education Program). PREP is politicians try to block them from this health
governmentally funded and is granted over care, this would prevent needy patients of
$55 million for states to effectively reach fundamental and crucial services like cancer
and educate young people. PREP provides and STD screenings as well as providing the
sexual education to young people all across females with birth control.
the United States. It teaches them how to
Attacks on Planned Parenthood
lead a healthy sex life, including how to
Most of the politicians who oppose
prevent STDs and prevent unintended
Planned Parenthood are the conservative,
pregnancy. PREP also teaches people how
anti-abortion politicians. This is ironic
to foster good relationships with partners as
because Planned Parenthood offers much
well as family members. xxv This is
more than just abortion services to all men,
important so that young people can be
women, and children. The first politician to
sexually active while staying safe, as well.
introduce the first federal legislation to
Because one in two people aged between 1-
defund Planned Parenthood was current
and 24 have an STD, Planned Parenthood
not only offers education on sex, but also Vice Present, Mike Pence, in 2007.xxvii The
offers testing for STDs. xxvi It is extremely alt-right has put up a relentless fight. Many
of these politicians are so relentless that in
important to be healthy inside and out and to
2015, a group of anti-abortion activists
not spread these STDs to others in the
released fake videos making false claims
community. This is why Planned Parenthood
encourages people to get tested. about Planned Parenthood clinics, saying
that they used the aborted fetuses for
research. Later on, these were debunked and
refuted by official sources, however, anti-
What if Planned Parenthood is abortion conservatives clung to these videos
and used them as their platform. xxviii
Defunded?
Planned Parenthood retaliated by suing the
video companies who produced the video.
Ever since Obamacare was created in Fortunately, President Obama blocked the
2010, many politicians from the right have defunding of Planned Parenthood as false
been trying to get it repealed. Even seven information was spread in the videos. Even
years later, the Trump administration is still still, people threaten Planned Parenthood.
trying to repeal and replace this health care. xxix
There have been numerous A majority of these politicians base their
investigations into Planned Parenthoods opinions on lies. If the facts are presented, it
validity from numerous states and officials. is obvious that Planned Parenthood is not
There have been claims that Planned doing what these claims say. They are
Parenthood benefits from the donation of simply providing health care to those who
fetus tissue, but it was debunked by officials require it.
who ran investigations in twelve states.xxx
Implications of Defunding
As a result of these investigations, there
Though these accusations that these
have been no findings of wrongdoing from
politicians are making are utterly false, the
Planned Parenthood. Still, politicians attack
impact of Planned Parenthood being
Planned Parenthood solely based on the fact
defunded is very real. If these politicians
that they provide abortion services, a moral
reach their goal of blocking patients from
issue. Ohio Governor, John Kasich, recently
Planned Parenthood this would mean that
signed a bill into law that would block
womens access to their health care from not health care facilities all across the nation
only Planned Parenthood but also the would be shut down, leaving people with no
other options. If Planned Parenthood is
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early
defunded, even though there are other health
Detection Program, the HIV/AIDS Initiative
care providers, they will not be able to
as well as many other similar organizations.
support these patients.
This also affected 2,800 expectant mothers
who relied on Planned Parenthood for their
Per year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide
heath care.xxxi Kasichs only reasoning for
birth control for 2 million people, as well as over 4
doing this was that, Planned Parenthood million STD tests and treatments; over 360,000
was selling body parts which is extremely breast exams; over 270,000 Pap tests.
false. Another politician is New Hampshire
[Cite
xxxivyour source here.]
Senator Kelly Ayotte. She has let her moral
beliefs influence her politics and repeatedly
voted to defund Planned Parenthood on the As it is, states are already having
terms that abortions are wrong as well as difficulty supporting those who are on
voting to overturn Roe v. Wade.xxxii This is Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is one of the
strange for a woman to not support other few providers who accept Medicaid as
woman with such an important decision. insurance. Not only that but, Planned
Again, she relied on the propaganda videos Parenthood is one of the only clinics that
for her evidence and said,xxxiii provides the full services families require,
including birth control and HIV testing.xxxv
xxxvi
"...what was revealed in these disturbing videos that
show the practice of the harvesting of organs and
body parts of unborn babiesthat is why last month
I joined a bipartisan majority of Senators in voting to
redirect Federal funding from Planned Parenthood,"
There are great
BREAKDOWN losses at stake here
if Planned Conclusion
Approximately 60% of Parenthood is Planned Parenthood is so much more
Planned Parenthoods defunded. For than an abortion clinic with only 3% of their
patients access health care at example, services covering abortions. They help
its health centers through xxxvii provide sexual, reproductive healthcare, as
publicly funded programs well as education to nearly five million
like Medicaid or Title X. if these extremist women, men, and adolescents worldwide.
politicians were When over 2.5 million men, women, and
successful in adolescents put their trust in Planned
defunding Planned Parenthood, this would Parenthood to provide them with their
leave 2.5 million people without healthcare,xli this puts a lot of pressure on
healthcare.xxxviii Politicians that wish to shut Planned Parenthood to effectively provide
down Planned Parenthood would be these people with their services. Planned
blocking people from accessing these health Parenthood has about 650 clinics nationwide
care centers. If these legislators succeed, and without them, there would be millions
there will be a disaster to health care and of Americans without this preventative
will leave many people in the dark, without care.xlii If health care is denied, this puts
this essential health care. patients citizens of the United States at a
huge risk to be without basic human rights.
Validity of Defunding
Politicians like Mike Pence, John Kasich,
and Kelly Ayotte have directly attacked
Looking at the numbers, this does Planned Parenthood, and the defunding
seem devastating, however, Planned would directly affect the people they
Parenthood is still alive and well so what is represent. If Planned Parenthood is
the big deal? Will people actually get hurt defunded, this would put people who are
by this? The answer is yes and there are already struggling to access health care, at
studies from states to prove this. One study an even greater risk. There is no other Plan
found that after the state government B for those who rely on Planned Parenthood
stopped funding Planned Parenthood in and there are many devastating implications
Texas, pregnancy-related deaths doubled if it is defunded. As the leading health care
and 54% of the patients in that state received provider, Planned Parenthoods benefits
less care. xxxix Also, after clinics were shut outweigh the costs of its defunding. The
down in Wisconsin, significantly fewer United States government must protect its
women had access to life-saving cancer citizens and keep Planned Parenthood as an
screenings.xl If Planned Parenthood clinics organization to give everyone and equal
are forced to close their doors, this would opportunity at a basic human right: health
leave people hopeless and vulnerable care.
without health care.
xliii
i
"New Women's Health Care Report." The Common Wealth Fund. Last modified July 13, 2012.
Accessed April 16, 2017. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/press-
releases/2012/jul/oceans-apart.
ii
"New Women's Health Care Report." The Common Wealth Fund. Last modified July 13, 2012.
Accessed April 16, 2017. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/press-
releases/2012/jul/oceans-apart.
iii
"Planned Parenthood at a Glance." Planned Parenthood. Accessed April 16, 2017.
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/planned-parenthood-at-a-glance.
iv
v
"The Issues We're Fighting For." Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Accessed April 17, 2017.
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues.
vi
Mitts, Lydia, and Shannon Attanasio. "Four Reasons Planned Parenthood Is an Essential Health
Care Provider." Families USA (blog). Entry posted January 13, 2017. Accessed April 16,
2017. http://familiesusa.org/blog/2017/01/four-reasons-planned-parenthood-essential-health-
care-provider.
vii
viii
ix
x
xi
"What Happens at Planned Parenthood?" Planned Parenthood (blog). Accessed April 17, 2017.
http://plannedparenthood.tumblr.com/post/125282879947/what-happens-at-planned-
parenthood-health-care.
xii
The Issues We're Fighting For." Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Accessed April 17, 2017.
xiii
xiv
xv
xvi
xvii
xviii
care-provider.
xix
care-provider.
xx
care-provider.
xxi
care-provider.
xxii
xxiii
xxiv
xxv
xxvi
xxvii
xxviii
xxix
xxx
xxxi
xxxii
xxxiii
xxxiv
xxxv
xxxvi
xxxvii
xxxviii
xxxix
xl
xli
xlii
xliii
"Do We Still Need Planned Parenthood?" Obamacare Facts. Accessed April 17, 2017.
http://obamacarefacts.com/2015/07/23/do-we-still-need-planned-parenthood/.

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Issue Brief Final 2

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Theres No Plan B if Planned

In this patriarchal society, it is

It is extremely important to maintain

The biggest change that the ACA

Not only location, but race can play a

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