With the new president elect taking the office, Planned Parenthood and the women it services has been left vulnerable. Despite it’s reputation, which has been tarnished by the Republican side of last year’s political race, planned parenthood provides much more than abortions. The clinic provides women with low income with reproductive health services, which include but are not limited to Pap tests and breast examinations which are critical in preventing cancer.
The Trump administration made defunding planned parenthood one of its top priorities. This would put countless low income women at risk, especially when one takes into account the fact that the Trump administration also has it’s sights on dismantling the A.C.A, leaving millions without healthcare and no back up plan to fall back on.
Here at Her Campus, we strive to help women in all walks of life. Our aim is to form a community, and as a community, we’ve gathered a few alternatives to help those left vulnerable when Trump’s plans come to fruition.
Get checked out now.
Trump isn’t in office yet. Before he walks into the white house, before he takes away your healthcare, make sure you see a doctor for a clean bill of health. If our president elect goes through with taking away resources for women’s health, it might be the last chance you have to make sure that everything is working properly. Early detection is key in a lot of health problems, so it’s important to catch them while you can.
Talk to your School
If you’re a college student, there’s a chance that resources such as psychiatry and talk therapy are available to you. While this may not cover for the loss of Planned Parenthood, it would help if you lose benefits with the repeal of the ACA. Some school departments can also recommend you to clinics where you may be able to get help for pre-existing conditions. Some colleges also offer clinical help on campus, although specifics may vary depending on what campus you attend. All the same, it’s good to ask and find out what your campus offers.
Talk to your job
Some jobs and careers may offer health care benefits that can give you security and protection even with planned parenthood and the A.C.A. gone. A lot of government jobs offer these kinds of benefits. This can be particularly useful if you’re still studying, or working minimum wage. Make sure you know exactly what benefits your job offers, and talk to your superiors if you have any questions.
Look for health clinics in your area
Planned Parenthood may be close to gone but there are other alternatives. Healthcare.org is a website that offers you the location of low cost women’s clinics near your area. If the website doesn’t prove fruitious, don’t despair, try google. Make sure you call ahead of time and get information on what the clinic offers and how it will work with your insurance, or lack thereof.
Donate.
While Trump plans to defund planned parenthood and take out the resources to help provide women health care, the clinic could keep going if it has funds donated to it. The website to Planned Parenthood has a donation page. If you’d like to take matters into your own hands, you can always set up a crowdrise and collect donations in your own way.
There’s always a chance that Trump will flop back on his plans for women’s healthcare-God knows he constantly changed his mind every step of the electoral race. However, should he not, this information can be vital to have in case the worst comes to past. With the inauguration, and Trump’s stance on women’s health and women in general looking concerning at best, we can only look after one another and give each other resources.