“Skinny Repeal” Is Just An Attack on Cancer Screenings and Birth Control at Planned Parenthood

Washington, DC — Today Axios reported on a draft of the so-called “skinny repeal” bill that would be introduced by Senator Mitch McConnell. According to the report, the skinny repeal would include only five things, two of which are directly aimed at blocking millions of patients from coming to Planned Parenthood health centers for basic care such as cancer screenings, birth control, and annual exams.

Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

After weeks of posturing, it turns out that Senate Republican leadership’s so-called ‘skinny repeal’ is really just a plan to block millions of patients from accessing cancer screenings and birth control at Planned Parenthood. Instead of trying to make health care better, all Mitch McConnell is offering the American people is another unpopular and dangerous plan to devastate women’s health and women’s rights. The simple fact is that blocking millions from getting preventive care at Planned Parenthood would result in more undetected cancers and more unintended pregnancies.

“The so-called skinny repeal would have a devastating impact on health care in this country. Beyond blocking people from coming to Planned Parenthood, it would increase premiums by 20% and take away coverage for 16 million people.

“The cruel irony is that Republicans are selling the ‘skinny repeal’ as giving individuals more choice and freedom, while the Planned Parenthood provision would deny women the choice or freedom to go to the provider they trust.

“Politicians have been on a crusade against Planned Parenthood and women’s health and rights for years. At every twist and turn of this process, Republican leaders have chipped away at women’s health and rights. They will stop at nothing to block millions of people from going to Planned Parenthood for preventive care, including birth control, cancer screenings, and STD testing and treatment.  

“The Planned Parenthood provision is the epitome of a mean-spirited policy that hurts millions of women and has no place in legislation, period.

 

FACT: There is no federal funding for abortion. A career HHS OIG official explains there is no federal funding of abortion in The Hill. Planned Parenthood receives Medicaid reimbursements, just like hospitals and other health care organizations, for providing preventive care.

FACT: A powerful editorial in the Washington Post underscores the devastating impact of blocking access to care at Planned Parenthood: “Of all the magical thinking that has gone into Republican proposals to replace Obamacare, none has been more fanciful than the argument accompanying efforts to defund Planned Parenthood… In truth, millions of women would lose access to critical health care.”

FACT: Planned Parenthood grassroots organizing has been a driving force in opposing Trumpcare and efforts to “defund” Planned Parenthood. For months, an army of pink-clad Planned Parenthood patients, supporters, and advocates have taken thousands of actions from coast to coast including attending protest rallies, speaking out at congressional town halls, calling their members of Congress, delivering petitions to congressional offices, and hosting field hearings.

Over the last several months, Planned Parenthood supporters have:

• Made more than 190,000 phone calls to members of Congress

• Organized more than 2,200 events across the country, including rallies, petition drops, phone banks, and marches

• Delivered over 1 million petition signatures to members of Congress in opposition to  “defunding” Planned Parenthood.

FACT: A bipartisan majority of Americans support Planned Parenthood and oppose “defunding.”

• A Quinnipiac poll shows that 80 percent of voters, including 67 percent of Republicans, oppose efforts to block people from getting care at Planned Parenthood.

• The Senate health care repeal bill is the most unpopular bill in three decades and the provision blocking women from Planned Parenthood is one of the most unpopular parts – with 80 percent of voters, including 67 percent of Republicans, opposing.  

• A NBC News/WSJ poll shows that only 12 percent of voters in “Trump” counties support the House version of Trumpcare. Forty-one percent said it was a “bad idea.” (NBC News/WSJ polled 439 counties where Trump either significantly outperformed Mitt Romney’s vote in 2012 or flipped the vote from President Barack Obama. In these counties, Trump’s job approval rating stands at 50 percent — about 10 points higher than in most national polls).

FACT: The Planned Parenthood provision is still a no-go for key Republican senators.  

• Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Susan Collins have been clear in their opposition to the  “defunding” Planned Parenthood provision in the Senate repeal bill.

• Senator Dean Heller publicly said he would “protect Planned Parenthood.” Nevadans expect him to keep his word.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.