These Numbers From New Planned Parenthood Report Show Need to Defund Abortion Giant

Each year, Planned Parenthood Federation of America issues an annual report outlining the abortion giant’s medical service data, revenue and expenses, and advocacy and educational activity.

This week, the 2015-2016 report went public. These reports are typically published in December or January, but this year’s highly anticipated report was inexplicably released several months later than expected.

As previously explained at The Daily Signal, these annual reports provide Americans on both sides of the abortion debate with important information about abortion incidence and other services provided by Planned Parenthood, which receives over half a billion dollars from taxpayers each year.

The report opens with the revelation that Planned Parenthood served 100,000 fewer women in 2015-2016 compared to 2014-2015, and that in the same period the number of Planned Parenthood health centers and affiliates declined.

Planned Parenthood performed more abortions last year (328,348) compared to the previous year (323,999). In the same period, contraception and cancer screening and prevention services declined.

Specifically, Planned Parenthood served fewer female reversible contraception clients, performed fewer vasectomies and female sterilization procedures, and provided fewer emergency contraception kits in 2015-2016 compared to the previous year.

Planned Parenthood also performed fewer breast examinations, fewer HPV vaccinations, and fewer colposcopy and cryotherapy procedures in 2015-2016. Despite often repeated claims to the contrary, Planned Parenthood provides zero mammograms.

The report reveals a dramatic decline in prenatal services. Planned Parenthood provided 9,419 in 2015-2016 compared to 17,419 in the previous year—meaning 8,000 fewer women and their unborn children received prenatal care in just one year.

This sharp decline reinforces the findings of a pro-life organization’s investigative report. Earlier this year, Live Action—a nonprofit dedicated to ending abortion and protecting the right to life—contacted 97 Planned Parenthood clinics searching for prenatal care and was turned away by 92 of the centers.

Despite the declining number of Planned Parenthood clinics, clients, and many services, the abortion giant continues to receive half a billion dollars from taxpayers each year.

For the year ended June 30, 2015, Planned Parenthood reported $553,700,000 in “government health services grants & reimbursements.” For the year ended June 30, 2016, Planned Parenthood reported a slight increase to $554,600,000.

Planned Parenthood also reports increased excess revenue and net assets.

In fiscal year 2015, its excess revenue was nearly $59 million and net assets totaled more than $1.4 billion. For fiscal year 2016, Planned Parenthood’s excess revenue increased to $77.5 million and net assets now total over $1.5 billion.

The information in the latest report is particularly relevant as Congress considers a budget reconciliation bill to repeal Obamacare. The bill includes a provision that would disqualify Planned Parenthood affiliates from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for one year after enactment of the bill.

Planned Parenthood’s latest annual report underscores why taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize the abortion giant. As the number of abortions increases, fewer women are turning to the group for care like cancer treatment and prevention services, contraception, and prenatal services.

Government funds currently flowing to Planned Parenthood could instead be directed to the thousands of centers that provide health care for women without entanglement in on-demand abortion.

It’s time for Congress to end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, its affiliates, and other abortion providers once and for all by sending the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature. (For more from the author of “These Numbers From New Planned Parenthood Report Show Need to Defund Abortion Giant” please click HERE)  http://joemiller.us/2017/05/numbers-new-planned-parenthood-report-show-need-defund