What the House Vote to Repeal Obamacare Means for Planned Parenthood

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Congress Is a Step Closer to Repealing the Affordable Care Act and ‘Defunding’ Planned Parenthood. Here’s What the Bill Actually Does, and How to Fight Back.

On May 4, the U.S. House voted to pass the worst bill for women’s health in a generation: the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This bill not only seeks to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but also to “defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking Medicaid patients from care at its health centers. 

As the bill heads to the Senate, here’s what it actually does — and what it doesn’t do.

What Thursday’s Vote Did NOT Do

• It didn’t become law.
  The ACA repeal bill passed the House by a narrow margin, and now it faces an uphill battle in the Senate. We can expect more changes to the bill that will impact women’s health.
  
• It didn’t close Planned Parenthood.
  All Planned Parenthood health centers are open as usual, and staff are doing what they’ve always done: getting up in the morning; opening the health center doors; and providing high-quality, affordable health care to all people who need it. That includes patients who rely on Medicaid coverage.
  
• It didn’t cancel your insurance.
  The benefits of the ACA are still here for you. The majority of people can still purchase a plan for $75 or less. If you have health care coverage, it is still in effect until there is an actual change in the law, which takes time. This includes people who are 26 or younger and on their parents’ plan. Make your medical appointments, and get the care you deserve and are entitled to under the law.
  

What the AHCA Threatens to Do to Women’s Health

In particular, the AHCA would:

• Take away health coverage for 24 million people
  
  
• “Defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking people who rely on Medicaid from accessing preventive care at its health centers — including birth control, cancer screenings, and STD testing and treatment
  
  
• Reduce access to no-cost preventive services, including birth control
  
  
• End protections that keep insurers from charging people with pre-existing conditions unaffordable rates — allowing insurance companies to once again charge people tens of thousands of dollars a month because they had cancer
  
  
• Impose a nationwide ban on private insurance coverage of abortion
  
  
• Undermine Essential Health Benefits — including maternity coverage and prescription drugs, which disproportionately affect women.
  
  
• Gut the Medicaid program, which approximately 1 in 4 women of reproductive age rely on to access no-cost, critical reproductive health care (such as birth control, lifesaving cancer screenings, and maternity care)
  

4 Ways to Fight Back Now

Infuriated? You’re not alone. Here are the top three ways to stand up for health care and stand with Planned Parenthood right now.

#1: Call Your Senators
This is the most important way to take action right now. Use our easy online form to call your U.S. senators. We’ll give you a script so you can tell them to protect health care and stand with Planned Parenthood.

#2: Tag Your Senators on Facebook
Do you notice when somebody tags you on Facebook? Chances are,  your answer is “yes” — and that goes for your senators, too. Our simple form automatically tags your senators and gives you time to edit the post.

#3: Tweet at Your Senators
If you have Twitter, take a moment to tweet at your senators. Our easy-to-use form automatically finds your senators’ handles. It also gives you a sample tweet if you don’t want to write your own.

#4: Tweet at Reps who Voted Against Women’s Health
Click on the link above and scroll own for our list of representatives who voted in favor of this dangerous bill. If you see your House member, tell them you will not forget that they stripped access to care — and will not forgive.

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Stand up, fight back!