Republican state lawmakers and their pals on the religious right aren’t content with getting Gov. Jan Brewer to sign a new law that declares that women are pregnant weeks before conception.

Now they’ve passed a bill aimed at making sure that low-income women in Arizona can’t choose Planned Parenthood for any of their health-care needs.

HB 2800, which is headed for Brewer’s desk after passing the Senate on an 18-8 vote today, would ban the use of federal funds that pass through the state—such as Medicaid funding for low-income Arizonans—from going to organizations that provide abortion services.

That would mean that Planned Parenthood would no longer be able to be paid if its doctors provide low-cost cancer screenings, pap smears, STD treatment, contraceptive options and other health-care services to low-income women who are on the state’s AHCCCS program.

“We are an AHCCCS provider,” Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Michelle Steinberg says. “What this bill attempts to do is keep Planned Parenthood from seeing those patients. The impact will be felt hardest by women who choose Planned Parenthood for their care. They will not be able to choose their health-care provider.”

Cynde Cerf, the director of communications for Planned Parenthood, told The Range last week that the organization believes that the federal government would have a problem with the state deciding to limit women’s access to federally funded health-care providers based on the services that they provide. If that’s the case, the feds could threaten to block Arizona from receiving any Medicaid dollars.

If you’d like to contact the governor to urge her to veto the bill, you can call her toll-free at 1-800-253-0883.

Here’s a press release from Planned Parenthood:

Planned Parenthood condemns Senate passage of House Bill 2800, a bill that, if enacted, could reduce access to a wide range of preventive health care for thousands of Arizonans.

The bill could prohibit Planned Parenthood Arizona health centers, which provide more than 65,000 Arizonans with life-saving cancer screenings, birth control, prevention and treatment of STDs, breast health services, pap tests, sexual health education, information and health counseling, from receiving public health funds. It is unfortunate for Arizonans, that lawmakers are ignoring the fact that Planned Parenthood’s nonprofit health centers in Arizona have been an important part of the health care network in the state for more than 75 years.

In these difficult economic times when families need more access to affordable health care, not less, anti-women’s health legislators are cynically targeting family planning providers—- including Planned Parenthood—- at the expense of men, women and teens.

“Planned Parenthood works every day to keep women healthy. In fact, one in five women in America has turned to one of Planned Parenthood’s nonprofit health centers for professional, nonjudgmental and confidential care at some point in her life,” says Bryan Howard, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Arizona. “Women who come to Planned Parenthood aren’t making a political statement; they are coming to get health care they need. We call on Governor Brewer to reject this dangerous bill inserting politics into health care.”

“Many in the legislature will never know what it’s like to feel a lump in their breast and have to worry about the cost of a doctor’s visit,” continues Howard. “This is the reality with which many Arizona women are faced.”

It is Planned Parenthood Arizona’s hope that Governor Brewer will see that House Bill 2800 will do nothing but reduce the preventive health care options for women and men in Arizona, therefore veto the bill.

This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2012.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

12 replies on “State Legislature Passes Bill To Block Planned Parenthood From Providing Health-Care Services To Low-Income Women”

  2. good there are so many more providers that do not make money on the killing of babies that will take care of women and childern just look them up!! This is not a war on women this is a war on the killing of the unborn!! Yeah for once they are starting to get it!!! Oh and by the way if you are on AHCCCS there are a lot of good providers out there for you. Don’t have accounts so that is why there is no name.

  3. Another example of a state legislature run amok in their fight against the U.S. Constitution and the government sworn to uphold it. Perhaps the best solution for the U.S. is to cut off all tax aid to Arizona since it doesn’t want to live by the Constitution and the rules of union with the other 49 states.
    It seems that in Arizona fascism rules!

  4. Not providing Care for low income women is a way of Oppression of Women in general. It is appalling to even consider such a thing. I find anyone whom would allow this sort of Oppression Twoard women is only Hurting Society as a whole . In Fact is a Direct attack against the well being of our Future of Humanity . For Children Are Our Future and All women whom bare children should be held with the upmost regard. It is this kind thinking that will ensure , What future man kind has , Is in fact a Good an healthy one. I suggest more people get involved. In assisting a Better plan of action. We the people must take care of our women an children . For if we do not Keep vigal , for thier well being. We the people have no future. Only Sickness , Greed, Selfishness, will prevail , Hence our own demise

  5. What’s next? A decision to cecede from the Union and create the Great Country of Arizona? This is only the beginning, I assure you. Once you start wearing away at the Constitution and the rights of all people to vote and put it in the hands of the Congress (state or Feds)our power as a people is eroded to non existance. All hale Commrad Governor!:( Also you MAY notice this affects only the low income – more power to the 1%?

  7. The ridiculousness of the AZ Legislature has become a laughingstock all over the country. A woman is considered pregnant 2 weeks before conception??? Using that logic I guess that I, at the age of 69, must be so, along with every female in the state of AZ. Sometimes I’m embarrassed to have an AZ license plate on my car when I travel to other states.

  8. For all those who see Planned Parenthood as an *abortion clinic* only 3% of their activities are abortion related and NONE of that 3% is funded by the public. So get off your idiot high horses. You don’t want to pay for welfare for women pumping out a ton of babies? Guess what? Planned Parenthood provides affordable birth control and family planning. You find a lump in your breast and have no insurance or work just enough to not qualify for ACCCHS? Planned parenthood will do your breast exams. What kind of narrow minded horrible evil people would be against an organization that provides affordable preventative care to the people who need it most? You should be ashamed of yourselves!

  9. The best argument against having the GOP in control of the federal government is to see what they are doing to this state. When brewer has to veto her own party you know its bad.

  10. Idiots. I would have died seven years ago if I hadn’t gone to a low-cost women’s clinic and had my breast-cancer identified; that was on 4/13/05, and I was sick enough that sixteen days later I was in the hospital recovering from a double mastectomy. I had no insurance, was freshly divorced, living paycheck to paycheck and barely making ends meet– how many women WILL die because of this decision? Not -might- die, WILL die? Not the sisters, daughters, mothers or wives of the politicians who signed this, I can assure you. If it had happened seven years ago, you wouldn’t be reading this– you could go to my family plot and read my name on a marker, though, or find my obituary in the news. What Calliope writes above is true; what Tammy writes above is a stupid and very, very narrow keyhole view. Tammy? One woman in 8 will have invasive breast cancer during their lifetime; do you know 7 more women? Will it be one of them, will it be you? Are you all able to pay for what one of you will endure? For your sakes, I hope so….. because nearly 40,000 women died in the U.S. last year of breast cancer. Remember this.

  11. Use your voices and CALL Brewer to veto this disgusting bill. This IS a war on women. Ladies, it’s up to us to shout loudly, forcefully and continually–to stand up for our human rights.

  12. This is the continual suppress of people. This is the mission of the Republicans, control women and their personal rights. Does the Republicans have the power to control people sex lives?
    It was interesting to hear today on TV a Rep. Senator, indicating that Democrats have a history of suppressing people, Do you really believe this?

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