Parenthood, Planned. “Official Site.” Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org/.

According to the 2015-2016 Planned Parenthood Annual Report, 2.4 million relied on approximately 650 Planned Parenthood health centers across the country. 11% of those patients were males.

Lately, there has been a fairly large debate between liberals and conservatives about Planned Parenthood and whether it should be defunded or not.

Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, announced on Thursday January, 5th 2017 that Republicans will try to defund Planned Parenthood as they try to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Stated by Planned Parenthood, most funds are reimbursed by Medicaid. It does get payments and grants for federal programs like Title X, a federal program for family planning services which provides supplement birth control, GYN care, and other services women can not pay full price. However, neither federal Medicaid or Title X fund abortions. 24 states took to legislation to eliminate the health centers from eligibility for reimbursement from said federal programs, 10 states failed to pass legislation to cut patients off from care at Planned Parenthood, 13 states investigated from profiting from fetal tissue donation and found no wrong doings and, 9 states are successfully eliminating Planned Parenthood from public health program.

If Planned Parenthood was defunded and locations closed, patients under the women health center will be put out on health services or under other providers. Many of Planned Parenthood's patients do not have other accessible health care options. Other providers in certain areas will not be able "to pick up the slack" and stay up to date with its regular patients with those who were receiving services through Planned Parenthood. 

According to a recent study, Planned Parenthood provides 45% of its services to STD testing and treatment, about 4,266,689 test and treatment for STDs done yearly; 30% to birth control, about 2,808,815 birth control information and services yearly; 7% for cancer screenings and preventions, 293,799 pap tests, 321,700 breast exams, 72,012 women whose cancer was detected at an early stage yearly; 14% other woman services; 3% abortions; 1% other health service.

As a young woman who plans to attend college, Planned Parenthood is definitely affordable. Title X will cover services if an individual can not pay. To qualify for it, patients need to provide the most recent snapshot of their income whether it be a pay stub or proof of unemployment. This helps employees at the center to figure out how much individual will need to pay and how much Title X will cover. Even if an individual is not covered by insurance, Planned Parenthood is just as affordable for one who is on a health care plan. 

If the GOP does defund Planned Parenthood, I believe it'll be a two steps back for women rights. 

#IStandWithPlannedParenthood