Three BIG Reasons to Support SB300: Better Care. More Access. No Abortion.

May 9, 2017 | 4 comments

FACT: In March 2017, Planned Parenthood shut down their clinics in Easton and Bristol, marking the tenth and eleventh closing for the abortion business since 2013. On April 12, 2017, Neighborhood Health Centers of Lehigh Valley, a federally qualified health center, announced the opening of a new location in Easton “featuring comprehensive health care services including, primary care, prenatal care, women’s health and family planning, mental health services and dental care.”

Both receive taxpayer funding for family planning services, yet offer a very different set of care options for women and families across Pennsylvania.

Are Pennsylvania lawmakers evaluating and investing our tax dollars in the smartest options for family planning funding?

It is because of this gap in services that SB300 is needed in Pennsylvania. SB300 would prioritize family planning funding beginning with comprehensive care options like Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). This benefits Pennsylvania families for three main reasons:

1) Better Care.

Basic health services at Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania are declining in number. They are seeing fewer patients and providing a fewer number of basic health services. Yet abortion services are at an all-time high and steadily increasing.

Federally Qualified Health Centers offer far more services than Planned Parenthood – such as mammograms and prenatal care – and are not fueled by the business of abortion.

2) More Access.

For the lead sponsor of SB300, Senator John Eichelberger, there are nine federally qualified health centers in his district. There are zero Planned Parenthood clinics.

Statewide, there are just 25 Planned Parenthood facilities spanning 16 counties. There are over 300 FQHCs across 52 counties. FQHCs even offer transportation for their patients to their appointments and referrals.

3) No Abortions.

SB 300 specifically prohibits providing funding to entities that sell abortions. This would continue Pennsylvania’s history “to further the public policy of this Commonwealth encouraging childbirth over abortion” (PA Abortion Control Act).

Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in Pennsylvania, covering over half of all abortions. Even though statewide abortions are down nearly 7,000 annually since 2008, Planned Parenthood abortions in Pennsylvania are up over 1,500 annually since 2008. They have also received over $21 million in government funding over their last four reporting years.

Take action: 

Ask your State Senator to support better care and more access to family planning services by supporting SB300. To contact your State Senator by email and to learn more about SB300, go to BetterCareMoreAccess.com.