U.S. Supreme Court Announcement Is Another Court Victory for Women’s Health
For Immediate Release: May 28, 2013
Announcement Should Be a Message to All Fifty States: Blocking Women’s Access to Health Care Won’t Be Tolerated by the Courts or the Voters
Indiana — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a lower court decision that invalidated an effort by the State of Indiana to block women in Indiana’s Medicaid program from continuing to access preventive health care services at Planned Parenthood health centers.
This is the latest evidence that efforts to cut women off from Planned Parenthood’s preventive health services won’t pass muster in the courts, or with the public. In recent years, six federal courts have rejected efforts by state politicians to block women’s access to Planned Parenthood health centers and polling consistently shows the majority of Americans oppose these efforts.
Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund
“Today’s announcement from the Supreme Court is not only a victory for Planned Parenthood’s patients in Indiana, it is a victory for the nearly three million people who turn to Planned Parenthood health centers each year across the country.
“Planned Parenthood is reimbursed by the government to provide health care just like every other medical provider. Politicians in all 50 states should take note: blocking Planned Parenthood from funding to provide preventive health care is both unlawful, and deeply unpopular.
“Over and over again, courts have said that states cannot block people from getting preventive health care at Planned Parenthood, and the vast majority of the American public agrees. All women, no matter where they live, should be able to get quality, affordable health care from the health care provider they know and trust.”
Background
- State-level efforts in Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina, Kansas, and Tennessee to cut off women’s access to Planned Parenthood health centers and preventive health services have been blocked in the courts, protecting access to preventive health services including lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, well-woman exams and STD prevention for thousands of people.
- One in five women in the U.S. has visited a Planned Parenthood health center at least once in her life.
- Planned Parenthood health centers see two million patients for birth control, conduct 640,000 breast exams, and provide nearly 4.5 million STI tests/treatments annually.
- More than 90 percent of the services Planned Parenthood health centers provide are preventive (cancer screenings, STI tests, birth control, etc.).
- Federal funds cannot be used for abortion services at Planned Parenthood health centers. Since 1976, Congress has barred federal funding for abortion under the Medicaid program through the Hyde Amendment. The only exceptions are in cases of rape, incest, and danger to the life of the woman.
- Family planning programs also save money nationwide. For every $1 spent on family planning, $3.74 is saved.
- A majority of Americans recognize the fundamental role that Planned Parenthood preventive health care services play in keeping women healthy. Recent polling research shows support for federal funding for Planned Parenthood was a key factor in support for President Obama in the November election.