Planned Parenthood Statement on Politically-Motivated Report Request from Anti-Women’s Health Lawmakers

New York, NY – Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards today responded to a request by anti-women’s health lawmakers’ that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) study the use of federal funding received by Planned Parenthood health centers and other providers for preventive health care services:

“At a time when the American people want Congress to focus on creating jobs and preventing the looming budget cuts, it is ridiculous that some members of Congress are instead focused on launching baseless political attacks aimed at restricting women’s access to preventive health care.

“Planned Parenthood health centers – like other health care providers -- are reimbursed by the government for providing specific preventive health services such as lifesaving cervical cancer screenings, breast exams, STD testing, and birth control to low-income patients. More than 90 percent of Planned Parenthood’s health care services are preventive, and Planned Parenthood will continue to provide three million patients a year with health care, even while fending off political attacks from out of touch politicians who want to limit women’s access to quality, preventive health care.”

The Planned Parenthood 2011-2012 annual report shows that more than 750 Planned Parenthood health centers nationwide provided nearly 11 million services to nearly three million people during the year, including:

birth control information and services to two million patients;
585,000 Pap tests, which identified about 82,000 women at risk of developing cervical cancer;
640,000 breast exams; and
nearly 4.5 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV tests.