Dear Senator:
As organizations concerned with ensuring access to contraceptive services and supplies, we are writing to urge you to maintain the integrity of the Medicaid program and make sure that states are provided the resources necessary to cover the range of critical services needed by the low-income women who rely on the program. Proposals to limit or even cut federal funding would have a very detrimental effect on these women. Program changes that would result in either women losing eligibility or a reduction in critical services such as family planning are harmful, costly and not in the country's best interest.
More than three decades ago, Congress recognized family planning as part of the basic health care needed by women and included it as one of the small number of services that all state Medicaid programs are required, by federal law, to cover. An estimated 5.5 million American women of reproductive age-nine percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44-rely on Medicaid for all their basic health needs.
The package of family planning services covered by Medicaid includes a range of health care critical to women: ""counseling services and patient education, examination and treatment by medical professionals in accordance with applicable State requirements, laboratory examinations and tests, medically approved methods and procedures, pharmaceutical supplies and devices to prevent conception, and infertility services..."" Each year, 2 million low-income women-one of every three women of reproductive age covered by Medicaid-receive a family planning service under the program. Providing these services is cost-effective; every dollar spent to provide publicly funded family planning saves $3 in Medicaid costs alone.
Already, because of difficult economic times, almost every state has planned or has already implemented cuts to their Medicaid program. Many of these cutbacks are causing women to lose all or some of their health care benefits. At this critical time, states need more money for their Medicaid programs, not less. We urge you to avoid placing states in the untenable position that forces a reduction of critical benefits such as family planning, or even the number of people covered by the program.
Sincerely,
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association of University Women
American Civil Liberties Union
American Medical Women's Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Women Policy Studies
Choice USA
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Abortion Federation
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health
National Council of Jewish Women
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Partnership for Women and Families
National Women's Health Network
National Women's Law Center
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Reproductive Health Technologies Project
The Alan Guttmacher Institute
The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS)
Voters For Choice Action Fund