WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood is an organization committed to ensuring that quality health care is affordable and available in communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood is one of the most trusted women’s health care providers in Pennsylvania and has been for over 90 years; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood is Pennsylvania’s largest provider of low-cost, high quality, preventive family planning services, including birth control, with affiliates operating 32 health centers in the Commonwealth, nearly 50% of Planned Parenthood health centers in Pennsylvania are in medically under-served areas of the state; and
WHEREAS, Last year alone, affiliates served nearly 110,000 patients and provided 205,000 screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and 18,000 breast wellness exams; and
WHEREAS, Assertions that patients would be seamlessly absorbed by the already overburdened health care safety net in Pennsylvania are untrue. Reduction in access to subsidized women’s health services will only lead to more unintended pregnancies and abortions, more untreated STDs and more undetected cancers, and ultimately, more costs for the Commonwealth and greater burdens on citizens; and
WHEREAS, One in five women will rely on Planned Parenthood centers for health care in her lifetime. For many, Planned Parenthood serves as their main health care provider; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood affiliates receive reimbursements for services provided primarily through Medicaid, just like hospitals and physicians, which funds are restricted for specific purposes and/or income thresholds; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania’s Planned Parenthood affiliates follow all state laws and regulations and have the highest medical and ethical standards, which is why they remain a trusted, high quality, compassionate health care provider; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby urge the Pennsylvania General Assembly to oppose House Bill 1623 which would cut access to Planned Parenthood preventive health services in Pennsylvania.
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