Planned Parenthood Organization Withdraws From Title X Federal Funds

(Photo Credit: Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Bella Breakdown

Planned Parenthood is facing a major turning point after withdrawing from Title X, otherwise known as a federal family planning program which will begin banning funding recipients from referring women to abortion providers.

The organization says it plans to continue to operate its health centers and find ways to make up for the loss of federal funding. However, Planned Parenthood’s fight for reproductive rights as Republican lawmakers push to ban abortion may have just gotten a little bit harder.

The point of the Title X program is to provide affordable birth control and reproductive health care to young, poor women. Since its launch about 50 years ago, the program has helped fill gaps in health care access including cancer screenings, STD testing and annual exams for women who are poor or don’t have health insurance.

Planned Parenthood has been the largest provider, serving 40% of all Title X patients. Most of those patients are black or Hispanic. However, due to the restrictions, that program participants had until Monday to comply with, Planned Parenthood has decided to withdraw because of the “unethical and dangerous gag rule.”

“Our patients come to us because they expect the best information and health care available,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “And we have a commitment to provide that to them. But the gag rule would make it impossible for us to uphold that commitment.”

Author: Brittany Jones

Share This Post On