Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI) Responds to Attempts to Curb Health Care Access
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Nicole Safar, Government Relations Director of PPAWI issued the following statement:
In response to Rep. Andre Jacque’s circulation of three new legislative proposals in the Wisconsin state legislature to further compromise women’s access to quality affordable care at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Nicole Safar, Government Relations Director of PPAWI issued the following statement:
“Planned Parenthood is the largest, most trusted women’s health care provider in Wisconsin and we have provided high-quality care for nearly 80 years. Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our patients. 60,000 women and men each year, and 1 in 5 women in their lifetime entrust us with their health care needs from breast and cervical cancer screenings, annual wellness exams, birth control, STD testing and treatment, education and referral care. We do not offer tissue donation services to our patients in Wisconsin.
“Despite our trusted record of providing excellent health care, those who oppose women’s access to reproductive health have unleashed their latest round of political attacks targeting Planned Parenthood and the essential health care services we provide to our patients. Rep. Jacque supports policies like a constitutional ban on birth control and criminalizing all abortion, so it’s no surprise that he is advancing these initiatives.
“A new report released by the Guttmacher Institute highlights the benefits and the significant need for enhanced access to essential preventative family planning health care in Wisconsin. Continued efforts to restrict women’s access to Planned Parenthood or other safety net health care providers pose a risk to the health and well being of women and families. In 2013, 336,050 Wisconsin women aged 13–44 were in need of publicly funded family planning services. Safety net health care providers, including Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, which is the largest provider for women in need, served 26% of women in need. According to Guttmacher, 248,930 women in Wisconsin who are in need of affordable contraceptive services and supplies go without.
“Despite the level of unmet need, Guttmacher credits publicly funded family planning centers in Wisconsin in helping to avert 21,200 unintended pregnancies in 2013, which would likely have resulted in 10,500 unplanned births and 7,200 abortions. Further, by averting unintended pregnancies and other negative reproductive health outcomes, publicly funded family planning services provided by safety net health centers in Wisconsin helped save the federal and state governments $171.5 million in 2010 alone.
“Instead of working to address the needs of women and families, politicians like Rep. Jacque are working to smear trusted health care providers and take essential health care away from women and families.
“PPWI is proud of our record of caring for women, men and families in 22 health centers across the state. As an accredited health care provider, we follow all local, state and national laws and regulations to ensure our patients remain safe, healthy and strong. Without Planned Parenthood, many would go without access to life saving cancer screens, referral treatment, birth control, STD tests and educational services.
“Despite these ongoing and unwarranted political attacks, Planned Parenthood remains committed to providing the compassionate, quality and safe medical care and education services that 1 in 5 women have come to rely on at some point in their lives.
“We all want strong, healthy families. With the public’s continued support we will prevail in removing politics from women’s health.”
For information about the impact of safety net providers in Wisconsin as contained in the new Guttmacher report click HERE.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. PPAWI engages in legislative and educational activity and works to elect candidates to office that support these goals.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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