The Trump administration finalized a new rule for Title X Family Planning funding on Friday that partially defunds Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics who offer or refer patients for abortions.
Under the new rules, in order to be eligible for Title X grants, women’s health clinics must be both “physically and financially” separate from organizations and clinics which provide or refer women to facilities for abortions. In fact, they cannot support or promote abortion as a family planning method in any way.
These changes have been lauded by anti-abortion activists and conservatives, who have been pushing the legislation as a way to begin to defund Planned Parenthood. Currently, Planned Parenthood serves 40 percent of all Title X recipients.
It is important to note that many Planned Parenthood clinics, including the one here in New Orleans, do not provide abortion services. However, they do offer abortion referrals, which would make them ineligible to receive Title X grants under the new rule.
Dr. Leana Wen, President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America stated that, “This rule compromises the oath that I took to serve patients and help them with making the best decision for their own health. Patients expect their doctors to speak honestly with them, to answer their questions, to help them in their time of need.”
According to Emily Stewart, Vice President of Public Policy at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, “Since day one, the Trump-Pence administration has aggressively targeted the health, rights, and bodily autonomy of people of color, people with low incomes, and women. We’re going to fight this rule through every possible avenue.”
Big Easy Magazine has reached out to the New Orleans Planned Parenthood clinic and will update this article further with more information as we have it.
