Texas Can Defund Planned Parenthood, Judge Rules

zolloh wrote: -The new program starts today, TX set up its own women healthcare program which provides all the services that PP did (cancer screenings, contraceptions, etc except abortions) with over 4000 locations statewide (PP has maybe 80 locations here).

It mostly has to do with access.  There have been a lot of numbers floating around about who can and will be taking on Planned Parenthood's patients.  A lot of the doctors they've listed were duplicates or just flat out don't specialize in any way with women's care...PP's bread and butter.  It's great that an anesthesiologist wants to help, but I think their time may be spent better elsewhere.  Just my opinion of course.  I guess we'll wait and see.  It says something to me that Planned Parenthood was taking on half of the state's low income women.  They're also a perfectly valid, reputable organization.  There's no reason to defund then other than a personal gripe with a legal procedure. 

zolloh wrote: Lite Brite wrote:   Ok, so I'm confused and a little groggy. Someone break it down for me. Is the issue that planned parenthood is referring people to abortion clinics when they decide to have an abortion and somehow using Medicaid/state funding to pay the third party? If not... then whats the problem? I cant imagine theyre doing all this just because PP prints them out a provider list of abortion clinics at the end of the visit ... or are they? either way Perry Yes, that's the issue. PP in TX does provide abortions and clinics that dont refer patients to 3rd party affiliates. Also the country's biggest PP facility/clinic being opened in Houston (in the middle of a black neighborhood) was a thumb in the eye of pro-lifers, that's what started this whole battle.

SMH no surprise there.

That's the problem though. When they're listing the people who are going to be taking on patients, that's who is being listed...random doctors who do a whole host of things, but women's health isn't one of them.  I'm assuming they're hoping to train them in time to take on the influx.  I think adding more professionals is great.  Taking them away is counterproductive.  Hence why I'm annoyed that the Planned Parenthoods are losing funding.  They'll be fine.  I'm not worried that they're going to go under.  I'm worried about the women being forced to go elsewhere for their healthcare when it's for a petty reason.  Feel free to disagree.  I'm just explaining why it's a big deal...to me. 

It's not paying for abortion though.  Trust me, I know. Low income women pay out of pocket for abortion.  They call the organization I work for looking for funding, so they can afford it.  Planned Parenthood gets funding from the same private donor specifically because medicaid does NOT cover it.  I talk to women regularly and they're pawning their possessions, begging their families for money, and generally doing whatever it takes to be able to afford it.  

Clinics are generally near colleges or poorer areas because wealthy people have the pull to say "not in my backyard" to that stuff.  That and they can afford to go to private doctors for their own "oops" situations.  Their insurance generally covers it as well, so they don't need PP near them.  They're lucky because the process is not cheap.  There are a lot of social arguments that can be made in favor and against this situation.  I do think there are complicated motivations behind clinic locations, not all of them good, but they're ultimately there to serve the people who need the help.  I'm crossing my fingers that ACA helps bring down the need for abortions elsewhere.  Our phones are constantly ringing and you know what they say...an ounce of prevention and all that.  We're there if people need us, but we hate to see so many people struggling.  It's not always as simple as "condoms are free" unfortunately.