ICYMI: Patients Struggled to Get Health Care After Texas Forced Planned Parenthood Out of Medicaid, University of Texas Study Finds
For Immediate Release: Sept. 19, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC — After the three Texas Planned Parenthood affiliates were forced out of Medicaid in Texas in 2021, patients missed and postponed medical care and experienced emotional distress when trying to seek essential care. As The Daily Texan’s Sowmya Sridhar reports, a new study from the University of Texas presents the significant consequences these Texans faced following the state’s decision.
She writes, “Samuel Dickman, a physician with Planned Parenthood and an author of the study, said Planned Parenthood clinics had been a ‘lifeline’ to patients when they accepted Medicaid because of their inclusive space and flexibility in scheduling.”
The study’s co-author, Anna Chatillon, also highlighted the harmful impact of the state’s actions explaining, “Texas’ previous terminations of Planned Parenthood from publicly funded programs adversely affected low-income residents’ access to essential reproductive health services, resulting in delayed care and increases in births, many of which researchers identified as likely unintended.”
Chatillon went on to say that “‘Patients expressed that other providers could not fill the gap left when Planned Parenthood was no longer able to accept Medicaid, and emphasized that as a result, they were unable to access time-sensitive, affordable reproductive health care following the termination.’”
READ: Full study available here.
According to Dr. Dickman, ‘The more that state policy forces us to make decisions not based on need but based on people’s ability to pay or politically motivated restrictions, like Texas cutting Planned Parenthood off of Medicaid, it makes it difficult for physicians like me to really fulfill our duty to take care of patients and communities.”
The study also highlights patients’ stories about how Planned Parenthood helped them — some detailing what the change will mean for their ability to access the care they need:
- “One participant, who was in treatment for colon cancer that a Planned Parenthood clinician had identified, concluded: Planned Parenthood […] are the ones that really make a difference. […] If you’ve never been to the doctor before, and you start getting regular care, and you have an open environment to talk. It’s [also] easy to get in there. […] Those are the things that make a difference.”
- “A Planned Parenthood patient of over 20 years captured the feelings many other participants reported once they learned of the policy change, saying: ‘I was in shock. I was devastated. I actually felt comfortable with this doctor and now I have to start all over again. […] I felt very sad […] To find that again is going to be really hard.’”
A recent report from March of Dimes found that more than 46 percent of Texas counties are maternal health care deserts.
For more information about the case, read this fact sheet.
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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With nearly 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.