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Loading...What’s At Stake In AZ Planned Parenthood Funding Battle
At a teleconference yesterday, Bryan Howard, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, spoke to reporters about the federal court litigation filed this week to challenge the legality of House Bill 2800. Signed into law by Governor Brewer on May 5, this bill disqualified Planned Parenthood from being an AHCCCS provider because they provide safe and legal abortions.
The litigation is based on a federal statute that protects Medicaid beneficiaries’ freedom to choose the qualified medical provider of their own choosing. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have stated repeatedly that states cannot limit a Medicaid beneficiary’s ability to choose a family planning provider based on the scope of services provided. A law virtually identical to HB 2800 has been enjoined by a federal court in Indiana, and similar efforts to defund Planned Parenthood have been blocked by federal courts in Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
“It is wrong for the state to tell Arizonans who they can and cannot see for their health care. The men and women of this state have the right to see the health care provider they deem is best for them,” says Bryan Howard, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Arizona. “We are confident that the federal court will agree and grant an injunction to prevent this harmful law from going into effect.”
Each year, Planned Parenthood Arizona provides more than 66,000 patient visits, nearly 3,000 of which are Medicaid patients. Three of these patients are also plaintiffs supporting the case.
“I do not know where else I could go if not to Planned Parenthood, and—between my job and my four kids—I do not even know if I will have the time to look,” said Jane Doe #1 of Yuma. “Planned Parenthood’s staff was warm and friendly, and made sure we had privacy to discuss our questions and concerns. Planned Parenthood managed to make my 18-year-old daughter feel comfortable even though this was her first time receiving family planning care.”
Last year, Planned Parenthood Arizona provided more than 9,400 pap tests, over 16,200 tests and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, more than 33,700 breast exams, 136 HPV immunizations, and more than 85,400 contraceptives.
“It is unfortunate that our state and its lawmakers continue to put ideology and politics before the welfare of Arizonans,” continues Howard. “Women and men who come to Planned Parenthood aren’t making a political statement, they are coming to the get the health care they need from the provider they choose.”
Howard added, “This law does not affect Planned Parenthood’s ability to provide its expert reproductive care to the community. Women and men will be able to continue to receive life-saving cancer screenings, annual reproductive exams, STD testing and treatment, and birth control at all of the organization’s health centers across Arizona. We’re here for Arizonans.”
Planned Parenthood Arizona is being represented in this litigation by attorneys from Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Related Stories:
Planned Parenthood Sues Arizona Over Funding Ban
Federal Appeals Court Says Planned Parenthood Stays Funded While Suit Proceeds
Read more: abortion, arizona, funding ban, planned parenthood, war on women, war_on_women
Photo from splitpeasoup2009 via flickr.
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17 comments
+ add your ownTeresa E - Planned Parenthood is a NON profit organization. A simple 2 second google search confirms this. Please be a little more discerning in your research as you will be less likely to embarrass yourself by posting things that are so obviously false.
Bills virtually identical to this bill have been enjoined in half a dozen states - in other words, the law is not legal. So this GOP led effort is all window dressing to raise campaign money from the anti-choice crazies.
It also wastes taxpayer time and money in the AZ legislature. AZ has had the 2nd highest foreclosure rate in the nation 2 years in a row, and the state unemployment rate is currently over 8%. But these issues are not as worthy of the Republican led legislature or of Gov Brewer's attention. Much more important to argue about women's uteruses.
Abortion is legal and necessary. It's time to admit that the vast majority of people against abortion in this country are also against all kinds of birth control and most sex. Do you really think we don't know this?
Steve R.
Stop the Planned Parenthood=abortion crap. You can't get pregnant and have no right to speak. Your sperm are worthless.
Stevie, Stevie, Stevie...
As usual, absolutely NO data or facts, just bullshit! Jesus, guy, are you ever going to get your head out of your ass?
Thanks for the info.
That Governor Brewer supports this disgraceful bill is no surprise given that she recently made a public statement to the effect that she sees no problem with her personal religious beliefs being imposed on everyone.
People (like Steve R) think that the only thing the Republicans hate about Planned Parenthood is the abortion services they offer. That because you disagree with 3% of what an organization does, the reasonable and logical thing to do is to fervently campaign to de-fund 100% of it.
The Republicans hate that Planned Parenthood offers women control over their sexual lives. The Republicans support war expansion; death penalty/torture use; and slashing essential public services like education and health care. The Republicans don't give a crap about life.
But the Republicans don't just hate Planned Parenthood because it offers women the option of getting an abortion without dying or not having 10 kids. It's also because Planned Parenthood offers lower cost health care. The Republicans believe that if you can't afford expensive health care, you shouldn't get health care. Planned Parenthood, however, offers low cost health care services so that people who are just over the Medicaid eligibility level - but still poor - can actually get health care. And that's what the Republicans really hate too.
Steve R. I see you took an overdose of idiot pills today.
Point 1: Abortion is LEGAL across the land! Deal with it!
Point 2. Since the Hyde amendment, there is NO - let me repeat - NO taxpayer funding for abortions through PP.
Point 3. It ISN'T "all about abortion, nothing more and nothing less." PP provides (and it IS a non-profit, as pointed out in another post) other family-planning service that kumquats like you don't care for, either, like contraception and apparently, family counseling. Cutting off their funding is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. It's idiotic.
Now, be a nice first-grader and take your fingers out of your ears.
Planned Parenthood is not a for-profit business. It is a top-ranked, non-profit, charitable organization that serves the needs of those who could not otherwise afford womwn's health services including cancer screenings.
"What’s At Stake In AZ Planned Parenthood Funding Battle"....
Abortion! Nothing more, nothing less.
I guarantee if Planned Parenthood dropped all abortion services of any kind, the funding would be right back in a flash!
Nobody would deny them funding for necessary medical services - but abortion is NOT a "necessary" medical service, especially if you expect taxpayers to foot the bill!
And when abortion IS "necessary", and it is in certain cases, it does not have to be provided by an organization called "Planned PARENTHOOD"!
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