Letter to the Editor: Misconceptions about Planned Parenthood

Dear Editor:

I’m writing in response to Patti Sharpe’s open letter to Senator Feinstein (Letters to the editor Patriot, 5/11/2017). While I appreciate her views as a pro-lifer, I must correct some inaccuracies in her letter regarding Planned Parenthood.

The first is in regard the use of federal funding for abortions, this is untrue. In 1976, The Hyde Amendment (Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) prohibited the use of federal funds to pay for abortions with the exception in rape, incest, or life-endangering pregnancy.

While P.P. does perform abortions, among its top three health services (abortions, contraceptives, STD testing) it amounts to only about 3 percent of its long list of health services, like pregnancy testing and adoptions. P.P. receives Medicaid funding from the federal government, which allows the very low income to have access to health care.

The second inaccurate statement was that Planned Parenthood does not provide prenatal care. This is simply not true.

Therefore, I ask Patti if it make any sense to deny prenatal care to an unborn child because that parent is a low-income. That is what will happen: even relying on donations would not guarantee coverage to all 75 percent of Planned Parenthood's mostly-below-the-poverty-level patients. By defunding P.P., unwanted pregnancies would rise and Medicaid cost over 10 years would be $650 million. Trumpcare would phase out Medicaid.

So how is it pro-life to take away the poor’s healthcare, which is a basic human right along with clean water, air, and safe food?

Joanne Gallo
Downey