Planned Parenthood leaves federal family planning program

On Monday, Planned Parenthood announced that they are pulling out of the federal family planning program rather than abide by the Trump administration rules prohibiting clinics from referring women for abortions.

Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO and acting president of Planned Parenthood, stated that the organization’s nationwide network of health centers would remain open and strive to make up for the loss of federal money. McGill Johnson predicted that the many low-income women who rely on Planned Parenthood services would be “delay or go without” care.

“We will not be bullied into withholding abortion information from our patients,” said McGill Johnson. “Our patients deserve to make their own health care decisions, not to be forced to have Donald Trump or Mike Pence make those decisions for them.”

The federal Department of Health and Human Services released their own statement stating that Planned Parenthood affiliates knew months beforehand about the new restrictions and suggested that the group could have chosen at the point to exit the program.

“Some grantees are now blaming the government for their own actions – having chosen to accept the grant while failing to comply with the regulations that accompany it – and they are abandoning their obligations to serve patients under the program,” the department said.

Planned Parenthood was not the only organization dropping out. Maine Family Planning (unaffiliated with Parent Parenthood) released its letter of withdrawal Monday. The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, an umbrella group for family planning clinics is suing to overturn the regulations.

About 4 million women are served under the Title X program, which distributes $260 million in grants to clinics. Planned Parenthood has served about 40% of patients.

Source: Fox5 DC