Augusta, Maine (Friday, July 7, 2017—The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) today released a new report, Republican House and Senate Health Care Plans Jeopardize Access to Essential Preventive Health Care, analyzing the impacts on Maine women and families from the proposed one-year prohibition of federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood.
“In Maine, nearly one in three women served by publicly funded health centers obtains comprehensive reproductive health care services through Planned Parenthood,” MECEP reported. “By singling out Planned Parenthood, Congress will undercut vital health services for low-income women in Maine. These services include among others family planning, counseling, and contraception; cancer screening, prevention, and treatment; testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs); and pregnancy testing.”
Currently, federal sources account for 49 percent of the revenue for services provided at Maine’s four Planned Parenthood clinics.
“We urge our congressional delegation to protect Mainers’ access to a robust network of publicly funded family planning health centers that include Planned Parenthood,” MECEP Policy Analyst James Myall, the report’s primary author. “Infant mortality and unintended pregnancy are currently on the rise in Maine. The prosperity of the state’s economy also depends on greater labor force participation, access to health care, and access to family planning services.”
To obtain a copy of the report, click here. James Myall is available to answer questions or provide further information at jmyall@mecep.org or by phone at (207)620-1103.
