Pro-Choice Caucus Chairs Condemn Republican Plan to Defund Planned Parenthood in Affordable Care Act Repeal Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY), condemned the plan by Republican members of Congress to defund Planned Parenthood as part of their reckless effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). House Speaker Paul Ryan confirmed today that a measure to defund Planned Parenthood will be included in the Republicans' reconciliation package along with language for the ACA repeal.
"If Republicans go through with this plan, they should know what they're doing," DeGette said. "Repealing the ACA would rip health insurance coverage away from as many as 30 million people. The law ensures women have access to services they need, including contraception, maternity care and preventive screening for breast and cervical cancer. And Planned Parenthood health centers provide these screenings along with high-quality primary care for millions of patients. This is no mere symbolic vote or political statement. It's a disservice to Americans and a disgrace."
"I am proud to have brought the Affordable Care Act to the House Floor in 2009 as Chairwoman of the Rules Committee," Slaughter said. "This law finally prevented the insurance companies from treating being a woman as a preexisting condition. Before this law was enacted, eight states and the District of Columbia treated domestic violence as a pre-existing condition. Now, survivors of abuse are able to get the health care they need. Republicans won't acknowledge it, but there is no doubt the Affordable Care Act has made insurance for women in America better, cheaper, and more available. I am prepared to fight tooth and nail against push to repeal it, including efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Men in blue suits and red ties have no place telling women what they can and should do when it comes to their own health."
More than half of Planned Parenthood health centers are located in areas that are medically underserved or have health professional shortages. And in many counties, Planned Parenthood is the only safety net family planning provider.
Defunding Planned Parenthood would exacerbate the challenges women would face in accessing affordable health care if ACA is repealed. The ACA has been especially beneficial women, and it
prohibits previous abuses by insurance companies that discriminated against women, such as charging them higher premiums based on gender alone or denying coverage due to a previous pregnancy. In virtually every state, women have reported significant improvements in access to health care following ACA implementation.
In the 114th Congress, Republicans attempted to defund Planned Parenthood in the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762), the ACA repeal bill that President Obama vetoed. That provision would have prohibited Medicaid reimbursement for Planned Parenthood for one year. At his press conference today, Speaker Ryan did not confirm whether Republicans plan to include the same defunding measure or a new policy.