Court Protects Ohioans’ Access to Care at Planned Parenthood

For Immediate Release: May 31, 2016

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“Since July, politicians in 24 states have tried to strip women of basic health care, and in Ohio, they were just stopped in their tracks.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, a federal district court issued a temporary restraining order to protect access to health care and education for tens of thousands of Ohioans, including 70,000+ free STD & HIV tests, cancer screenings, and Planned Parenthood’s Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program. More details on the health services at risk can be found here. The law remains blocked until June 6 while the court considers Planned Parenthood’s request for a preliminary injunction.

In the order, Judge Michael R. Barrett recognized Plaintiffs’ arguments that, if enforced, the law would be “depriving thousands of Ohioans of high-quality, affordable health care services and education programs.” He pointed to how Planned Parenthood affiliates “conduct approximately 50 percent of the STD tests in the state of Ohio each year” and how “officials in Canton have reported that they have not been able to locate a replacement for PPGOH under this [HIV Prevention Program].”

This victory comes as Planned Parenthood fights to protect and expand access to care across the country in 15 lawsuits the nonprofit has filed since July. Since then, politicians in at least 24 states have threatened care at Planned Parenthood health centers. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if patients who rely on public health programs are blocked from coming to Planned Parenthood, up to 650,000 people would face decreased access to health care in just a one-year period.

Statement from Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

“We applaud the court’s decision to protect access to health care and education at Planned Parenthood. State lawmakers around the country have been waging a political war on preventive care at Planned Parenthood, putting people’s health and lives at risk in the process. Since July, politicians in 24 states have tried to strip women of basic health care, and in Ohio, they were just stopped in their tracks. Yet litigation alone cannot combat the tidal wave of attacks we’ve seen in recent months. It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to protect birth control and cancer screenings for our patients – but we’ll keep fighting for them across the country.”

Statement from Jerry Lawson, CEO, Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio:

“This ruling is a victory for the tens of thousands of Ohioans that rely on Planned Parenthood for care each year. Our state legislators want to ban abortion across the board, and they were willing to decimate access to preventive care in the process. But this isn’t about politics for our patients, it’s about their health and their lives. If you have a lump in your breast or need an HIV test, lawmakers should be making it easier, not harder, to get the care you need.”

Statement from Iris E. Harvey, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio:

“Today, the courts rejected Governor Kasich and Ohio Legislators’ attack on people who already have the least access to care. They attempted to block Planned Parenthood patients from care, all in the name of politics. Politicians had gone as far as to claim women can get cancer screenings at food banks. The court just called their bluff. Politicians have no business restricting women’s health, and today, the court agreed.”

The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by WilmerHale, as well as the Cincinnati-based firm Gerhardstein & Branch and lawyers from PPFA

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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 over 650 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.