Planned Parenthood Statement on Bobby Jindal Dropping out of 2016 Race

For Immediate Release: Nov. 24, 2015

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Statement from Dawn Laguens, Vice President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“This is the first good thing Bobby Jindal has done for women since becoming Governor.  Jindal has been a nightmare for Louisiana --- he’s done everything in his power to cut access to reproductive care for thousands at Planned Parenthood, recommending women instead seek reproductive health care at dentists’ offices and nursing homes; he’s illegally attempted to kick Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program, despite a warning from HHS; and restricted comprehensive, evidence-based sex education, despite Louisiana having some of the nation’s highest rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, people living with HIV, and teen and unintended pregnancy.”

“Bobby Jindal's failure should serve as a reminder to all politicians that when you run against women, you lose.”
 

FACT CHECK: Bobby Jindal’s Dangerous Record on Women’s Health is Too Extreme for the White House

FACT: Bobby Jindal’s politically motivated efforts to defund Planned Parenthood violates federal law:

• Associated Press: “The U.S. Justice Department is telling a federal judge that Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision to oust Planned Parenthood from Louisiana's Medicaid program appears to violate federal law. In a court filing, the DOJ says the Jindal administration hasn't offered "sufficient reasons" to keep Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast's clinics in New Orleans and Baton Rouge from receiving Medicaid payments.”

• The New York Times: Late on Monday, the Obama administration filed a so-called statement of interest at the court in support of Planned Parenthood. One plaintiff said she had sought care for a chronic condition elsewhere before turning to Planned Parenthood, after failing to find a practice that accepted Medicaid, a common complaint nationally given Medicaid’s relatively low reimbursement rates.

• The Times-Picayune: “The U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing late Monday (Aug. 31) that Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision to cancel Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast's contract appears to be in violation of the federal Medicaid Act...The Department of Justice's filling says that the Jindal administration has not done enough to show why Planned Parenthood's contract should be canceled, making it in violation of laws allowing patients on Medicaid to choose their medical provider. The Justice Department brief, in several aspects, supports Planned Parenthood's efforts to convince a judge to issue an injunction blocking Jindal from carrying out the organization's contract cancellation...The Justice Department also strongly questions whether the Jindal administration has any basis for stripping Planned Parenthood of its Medicaid funding. And the effect of Louisiana's defunding, the Justice Department said, removes the free choice that Congress expressly intended to grant Medicaid patients when selecting their healthcare provider.”

FACT: Bobby Jindal’s efforts to cut Louisiana’s Medicaid agreements with Planned Parenthood would make it more difficult for thousands of Louisiana Planned Parenthood patients to receive care:

• ABC News: “...termination of its Medicaid provider agreements will limit health services for 5,200 low-income patients its clinics serve through the Medicaid program. Planned Parenthood doesn't currently provide abortions in Louisiana, but offers cancer screenings, birth control, gynecology exams, sexually transmitted disease treatment and other health services.”

FACT: Jindal’s desperate attempt to defund Planned Parenthood was exemplified when Louisiana published a list of “healthcare providers” to fill the void if Louisiana succeeded in defunding Planned Parenthood. The list included dentists, nursing home care givers and cosmetic surgeons:

• Mother Jones: “On Tuesday, the state's attorneys acknowledged that the dentists and other specialists didn't belong on the list. They filed a pared-down version that lists just 29 healthcare providers….Lawyers for the state appeared to contradict him after they whittled their list of capable providers down to 29. And even among those providers, their ability to pick up Planned Parenthood's slack is questionable. In Baton Rouge, the site of one of two Louisiana Planned Parenthood clinics, the state lists five alternate providers. But only three of those offer contraception, according to the state's filing, and two of those have wait times ranging from two to seven weeks. One of the Baton Rouge clinics the state suggested is not accepting any new patients for STI, breast cancer, or cervical cancer screenings.”

• The Washington Post: “Need a breast exam? Call your dentist. What about an HIV test or pap smear? Find your friendly ophthalmologist. Looking for a birth-control refill? No problem. Visit your local nursing home. These were Louisiana’s utterly unhelpful, sublimely ridiculous recommendations for where to send the 5,200 low-income patients who will lose access to reproductive health services if the state cuts off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, as Gov. (and flagging Republican presidential candidate) Bobby Jindal wants.”

FACT: Louisiana has some of the highest cases of STDs and Planned Parenthood provides essential testing for Louisiana residents:

• Esquire: “Louisiana ranks first among the states in cases of gonorrhea, second in chlamydia, and third in syphilis and H.I.V., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…."Bobby’ Jindal is out there, running for president on his record as governor of Louisiana, which can be summed up easily in two phrases. ’Venereal disease’ and  ‘brain-eating amoebas.’"

• Forbes:Jindal’s state, Louisiana, has the highest rate of gonorrhea in the country. It ranks second for chlamydial infections and third for syphilis, per CDC data. Where do many of the people with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) go for care? Planned Parenthood. Why do they go there? Because they get good, nonjudgmental medical care, funded largely through Medicaid. Last year alone, Louisiana’s Planned Parenthood provided nearly 20,000 tests for STDs, as well as contraceptive care, cancer screenings, gynecologic exams, and other preventive health services for almost 10,000 mostly low-income patients.