Planned Parenthood dodged a bullet recently in the form of a proposal to take away its federal funding amid the controversy regarding fetal tissue that seemed to shock the nation.
But you can be sure there’s more ammo in its critics’ guns.
Nationally, the group has denounced the edited videos of discussions about what happens to fetal tissue from abortions, stating that the people in question were not representing the overall mission and goals of the organization.
This is not the first time Planned Parenthood has had to fight for its funding, but just the latest challenge in an uphill battle to provide preventative family planning along with many other medical services, often to underserved populations in areas where alternatives may not exist.
How much money are we talking about here?
The amount allocated to Planned Parenthood from all government sources for 2015 was $528 million, and the federal goverment is the biggest of those sources.
How much federal funding is actually used for abortion services?
Zero.
That’s right, none. In 1976 the Hyde Amendment was passed that strictly prohibited the use of any federal funds for Medicaid to be used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother.
How essential is government funding for Planned Parenthood?
Well, nationwide, government dollars provide about 40 percent of its annual budget. Other sources include donations and fees charged for services.
How is all that money used? Forty-two percent testing for and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. That’s for men as well as women. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, HIV, hepatitis — these are the diseases that are tested for and in many cases treated by the doctors and health practitioners at Planned Parenthood.
The next largest expenditure is 34 percent for contraceptive services. Now, until medical science can figure out a way to provide birth control pills or injections for men, this is still mainly an issue for women. But it takes both genders to create a pregnancy and therefore birth control is the responsibility of both.
Providing services to prevent pregnancy is an essential component of any family planning clinic.
Nine percent goes for cancer screening and prevention. Mammograms, PAP smears, these are the kind of services that are integral to women’s health care. Who gets these services? Mother, sisters, aunts, daughters, loved ones. Eleven percent goes for other women’s health services.
How much of the organization’s annual expenditures are for abortion-related services? Three percent. That’s what everyone is arguing about. Three percent.
If Planned Parenthood didn’t exist, where would the patients go?
In Hawaii there is a shortage of primary care doctors on all the islands. For those with Medicaid or without insurance, it’s even harder to find a doctor.But anyone who comes to Planned Parenthood is treated; no one is turned away regardless of insurance coverage.
When women or men go to Planned Parenthood, it often results in a comprehensive visit to discuss contraception, sexually transmitted infections, cancer screening, and many more of their health needs. When something can’t be handled on site, referrals are made to available providers so that the needs of the patient are met.
According to Chris Charbonneau, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and Hawaii, “If Planned Parenthood were defunded the rates of sexually transmitted infections not found nor treated would be shockingly high.”
Our community health centers have done an excellent job of taking care of those in need, but are also stretched too thin to take on that many more patients without a dramatic increase in funding from the government.
Where would the money come from to pay for the worsening health care of those who have STI’s or undiagnosed cancers, or even unwanted children?
Once again, our government. Because where do people go when they have unwanted children that they can’t provide for? Medicaid and welfare, both state and federally funded programs. Cancers that make someone unable to work or even disabled? Medicaid or Medicare. Again, state and federally funded.
So, in effect, taxpayers would have to shell out more money to cover for the loss the preventive services that Planned Parenthood provides now.
Hawaii already has one of the lowest rates of condom use among teens, and the second-highest rate of unintended pregnancies in the nation. The cost of teen childbearing to the state annually is $32 million dollars.
Even from a purely financial perspective, it just doesn’t add up. Looking nationally, the total net savings from family planning services provided with public funds is almost $14 billion dollars annually.
Compare that to the total budgeted government funding for Planned Parenthood of $528 million. It’s a winning investment if there ever was one.
Focusing on the family planning and medical needs of youths has long-lasting benefits for all of society. Defunding that major source of services would be ridiculous.
