Letter: Another view on Planned Parenthood

I can hear in the letter (“ACA repeal will hurt Planned Parenthood…” , Tompkins Weekly March 13-19, 2017) the care and concern that is stated for the healthcare of those individuals who patron Planned Parenthood. It sounded to me as though the medical associate drafting the letter has great compassion for the people she serves in our community. It was easily understood the letter wanted to demonstrate the firm efforts PP holds toward assisting our community to provide uninterrupted “healthcare” service.
Therefore, I have a couple questions. I will take the list of services expounded upon in the letter as facts, though I have not viewed PPSFL’s annual report. So, if the facts stated in the letter to the editor are valid in reference to the medical needs and ideals of PP to serve communities, why on March 6, 2017, when PP was offered FULL funding to continue for healthcare services, no abortion services, by President Donald Trump was the offer then turned down by Planned Parenthood’s CEO, Cecile Richards?
Planned Parenthood in the current Federal budget is reported as taking in 500 million in federal funding annually. PP stated that only 3 percent of that amount nationally is for abortions.
“Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, explained to the Times the money that covers abortions amounts to 3% of its services,” wrote Janet Burns in Women Forbes March 6 issue.
So why then, is PP willing to forget all the people your letter references; teenagers, college students, seniors, retirees, etc. to cover their own reported figure of only 3 percent?
Planned Parenthood reported that their CEO Cecile Richard’s annual take home income for 2015 was reported as $590,928, along with an average of $345,338 annual salary for 12 PP leaders. Perhaps Ms. Richards and executives are looking to keep their salaries more than they are concerned about funding and continued care for women.
“In particular, the salary of Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s (PPFA) president and CEO Cecile Richards was $590,928 last year – an increase of 40 percent since 2011. The American Life League’s (ALL) annual report that surveys all Planned Parenthood facilities in the nation finds the average salary of the 12 national leaders of the taxpayer funded abortion business is $345,338,” wrote Dr. Susan Berry in a December 24, 2015 post on Breitbart.
It is good news to note that the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act with a new health care bill under our current Presidential administration does in fact intend to cover lower income and Medicaid, and would also cover most of the “Healthcare services” that were listed in the letter to the editor; cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, etc. I noted the letter did not contain “abortions” which is an interesting omission, unless that was what was meant in the carefully worded disguise of “options counseling.”
The new Trump administration is applying concerted effort toward working with Planned Parenthood to assure that women’s “healthcare services” continue. It is correct as stated that: “Our leaders in Congress have a responsibility to keep America safe and healthy.” But it is not “this dangerous new bill” that is demonstrating conflicting concerns. I realize it is difficult to understand that Planned Parenthood’s willingness to work for communities is now in question. It appears that PP is concerned more for their hidden agendas, careful omissions and stern focus on protecting overblown salaries then for the outcry of their patients and community needs. Perhaps the organization needs to reevaluate their exact priorities. It is my hope that services and care for community that are stated in the letter to the editor will be given the priority they deserve. We need equitable solutions so ALL can move forward working with our current Presidential administration. We do not need to look at this change as a political threat as much as Planned Parenthood needs to focus on their patients, not politics.

E.J. Baker
Ithaca