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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 20 augusT 2019

Planned Parenthood leaves federal family planning program

By DAVID CRARY and RI- Planning, which is unaffili- remake government poli-
CARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR ated with Planned Parent- cy on reproductive health
Associated Press hood, also released its letter to please conservatives
NEW YORK (AP) — Planned of withdrawal Monday. The who are a key part of Presi-
Parenthood said Monday National Family Planning & dent Donald Trump’s politi-
it’s pulling out of the feder- Reproductive Health Asso- cal base.
al family planning program ciation, an umbrella group Religious conservatives
rather than abide by a for family planning clinics is see the program as pro-
new Trump administration suing to overturn the regu- viding an indirect subsidy
rule prohibiting clinics from lations. to Planned Parenthood,
referring women for abor- About 4 million women are which runs family planning
tions. served nationwide under clinics and is also a major
Alexis McGill Johnson, the Title X program, which abortion provider.
Planned Parenthood’s act- distributes $260 million in Planned Parenthood has
ing president and CEO, grants to clinics. Planned called the ban on abortion
said the organization’s na- Parenthood says it has referrals a “gag rule,” while
tionwide network of health served about 40% of pa- the administration insists In this June 4, 2019, file photo, a Planned Parenthood clinic is
centers would remain open tients. that’s not the case. photographed in St. Louis. Associated Press
and strive to make up for A federal appeals court in Maine Family Planning CEO
the loss of federal money. San Francisco is weighing George Hill said in a letter He said the Trump admin- most personal and private
But she predicted that a lawsuit to overturn the to HHS that his organization istration regulation “would health care. It is simply
many low-income women rules, but so far the court is withdrawing “more in sor- fundamentally compro- wrong to deny patients ac-
who rely on Planned Par- has allowed the adminis- row than in anger” after mise the relationship our curate information about
enthood services would tration to go ahead with 47 years of participating in patients have with us as and access to abortion
“delay or go without” care. enforcement. the program. trusted providers of this care.”q
“We will not be bullied into Oral arguments are sched-
withholding abortion infor- uled the week of Sept.
mation from our patients,” 23. Several states and the
said McGill Johnson. American Medical Asso-
“Our patients deserve to ciation have joined the suit
make their own health care as plaintiffs. Activists are
decisions, not to be forced also pressing Congress to
to have Donald Trump or overturn the rule.
Mike Pence make those Monday was the dead-
decisions for them.” line set by the government
Responding with its own for program participants
statement, the federal De- to submit statements that
partment of Health and they intended to comply
Human Services said that with the new rules, along
Planned Parenthood af- with a plan. Enforcement
filiates knew months ago will start Sept. 18.
about the new restrictions Along with the ban on
and suggested that the abortion referrals by clinics,
group could have chosen the rule’s requirements in-
at that point to exit the pro- clude financial separation
gram. from facilities that provide
“Some grantees are now abortion, designating abor-
blaming the government tion counseling as optional
for their own actions — instead of standard prac-
having chosen to accept tice, and limiting which
the grant while failing to staff members can discuss
comply with the regulations abortion with patients.
that accompany it — and Clinics would have until
they are abandoning their next March to separate
obligations to serve pa- their office space and ex-
tients under the program,” amination rooms from the
the department said. physical facilities of provid-
Planned Parenthood was ers that offer abortions.
not the only organization The family planning rule is
dropping out. Maine Family part of a series of efforts to