Planned Parenthood Statement on the 39th Anniversary of the Hyde Amendment
For Immediate Release: Oct. 15, 2015
“Abortion should be safe and legal for everyone – not only for those who can afford it.”
New York, NY --- Planned Parenthood released the following statement on the 39th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment:
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, on the Hyde Amendment
“For far too long, this country has penalized low-income women seeking abortion --- forcing those who have the least to pay the most in order to access safe, legal care. Politicians shouldn’t be able to deny a woman’s health coverage just because of her income or her insurance provider.
“For 40 years, the majority of Americans have been saying that abortion should be safe and legal, and that means it should be safe and legal for everyone – not only for those who can afford it. The EACH Woman Act --- introduced this past summer --- is our chance to right that wrong, and allow every woman --- no matter where she lives or how much money she makes or who provides her health insurance --- to access the health care she needs.”
About the Hyde Amendment:
The Hyde Amendment is a near 40 year old provision that withholds federal Medicaid funding from abortion, except in the extremely narrow and dire circumstances when continuing the pregnancy will endanger the life of the woman, or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest. Under the Hyde Amendment, federal Medicaid coverage cannot extend to abortion even when a woman’s health is at risk and her doctor recommends she obtain an abortion to preserve her health. Read more here on how Hyde disproportionately affects low income women.