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[SANTA BARBARA, CA] — Congress has passed their destructive bill, and the President has signed it. This bill removes Planned Parenthood from Medicaid programs for a period of one year and goes into effect immediately. This devastating legislation puts the entire system of care at Planned Parenthood in California in jeopardy and it will cause harm to patients who need and deserve services like birth control, cancer screenings, sexually transmitted testing and treatment, vaccines, gender affirming care, abortion care, vasectomies, and more.
Despite these political attacks from anti-abortion lawmakers in Washington, Planned Parenthood California Central Coast is not done fighting. We will do whatever it takes to block this bill in the courts and protect our patients. In the meantime, the full range of essential sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion care, are available to all patients regardless of insurance status at all locations.
Statement from Jenna Tosh, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood California Central Coast:
“The defund provision goes into effect immediately, but this fight is not over. We are pursuing every avenue to ensure patients on the Central Coast can continue to access the care they deserve. In the meantime, our doors will stay open, and we are still here for our patients regardless of their insurance status.”
We are grateful to California Senators Padilla and Schiff and Congressmembers Brownley and Carbajal for voting against this harmful bill and for continuing to fight for reproductive health care access in California. As representatives of the state with the largest Medicaid population and the most Planned Parenthood patients nationwide, they understand the irreplaceable role Planned Parenthood health centers play in California’s and the Central Coast’s health care system and the widespread devastation this bill will cause, to not just reproductive freedom, but to basic health care access in our state.
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As the most trusted provider of reproductive health care, we work toward a future where all people have equitable opportunity to experience health and wellness including high-quality sexual and reproductive health care provided with respect and without judgment. On an annual basis, we serve nearly 30,000 patients across the Central Coast at one of our six health centers.
