Planned Parenthood has continuously been under fire in the pubic arena. Its origins date back to 1916 when three women — Margaret Sanger, Ethel Byrne, and Fania Mindell — opened the clinic to distribute birth control in Brooklyn, New York. Under the Comstock Act, the women were arrested and jailed for distributing obscene material. The trial garnered national attention and support. Although they were charged with misdemeanors, the judge who presided over the case modified the law to permit physician prescribe birth control. Their campaign led to major changes within the laws governing birth control and sex education within the United States. Now, the clinic provides a range of reproductive health care services from STD screenings and emergency contraceptives to abortions.
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Abortion is among one of the most controversial topics in society. Many Americans strongly believe that Planned Parenthood should not be able to administer abortions since the clinic is subsidized under government funding. Those who advocate for pro-life argue that using taxpayers money to fund something they don’t support is a violation of their individual liberties.
The truth however, is that Planned Parenthood is reimbursed by social welfare programs such as Medicaid and Title X. According to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, 60% of patients rely on these programs for their preventive and primary care needs. Federal tax dollars therefore do not directly pay for abortions. The Hyde Amendment prevents this, except in cases of rape or life endangering circumstances. Here’s how it really works:
(Courtesy of Planned Parenthood Action Fund)
Despite these common misconceptions, taxpayers save $7 for every dollar spent on family planning programs such as Title X. Barring reimbursements from Medicaid would result in a total net cost of $130 million to taxpayers over ten years.
Defunding this organization would not only take away women’s rights to choice, it would also prevent many of them from obtaining birth control inadvertently increasing the number of abortions in the US. Regardless of your political ideology, religious affiliation, or stance on abortion, Planned Parenthood contributes more to society in terms of general sex education and health care than other hospitals or clinics.