THE WEDNESDAY STOPP REPORT

Planned Parenthood’s new strategy

Last week, we told you about Planned Parenthood’s new strategy as outlined by its president, Cecile Richards. It is a strategy built on the realization by Richards that Planned Parenthood is on the defensive and needs to change.

It was a strategy based on lies. In last week’s WSR, we analyzed a number of those lies and gave you the information you will need to tell the truth. We will not repeat all of that in this report, but we encourage you to commit those truths to memory so you are prepared to refute Planned Parenthood’s claims.

In this week’s WSR, we will look at the major points of Planned Parenthood’s strategy and how those that oppose Planned Parenthood can respond.

Renewed emphasis on nationwide fight against Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood emphasized in its strategy document that it is going to work hard in every state in the nation to push its agenda. It is critical, then, that pro-life forces in EVERY state focus some of their activities on Planned Parenthood.

We are encouraged to report that we have spoken at a number of gatherings around the country over the last six weeks in which renewed effort is being put on Planned Parenthood. The conventions of Arizona Right to Life, Colorado Right to Life, Right to Life of Kansas and New Hampshire Right to Life all put emphasis on understanding and fighting Planned Parenthood.

We here at American Life League’s STOPP International have been working with people in a large number of states to coordinate efforts and share experiences in fighting Planned Parenthood. If you have a group that is actively fighting Planned Parenthood in your state or local area, we want to hear from you. If you will send an e-mail to STOPP@ALL.org, we will get you on our National Network of Activists Against Planned Parenthood (NNAAPP) list and send you information that will be useful in your fight.

Remember, Planned Parenthood has said it wants to spread its lies in EVERY state; therefore we must counter its efforts in every state.

Stop Prevention First Acts at state and national levels

In its strategy document, Planned Parenthood states that it will put a great emphasis on the passage of Prevention First Acts at the state and federal levels. These acts would expand access to birth control through government programs, force insurance companies to pay for birth control and use government funds to promote emergency contraception – which everyone agrees works some of the time by preventing implantation and, therefore, kills a newly created human being

It is imperative that those opposed to Planned Parenthood work to derail this legislation in their states.

Beginning with the new Congress in January 2007, we will increase our efforts against the federal bill and will bring you the bill number and other particulars as soon as it becomes available. We will also bring you any breaking information as things develop in the various states.

General information and action items will be covered in future editions of the WSR and more specific information will be distributed to members of NNAAPP.

Stop Planned Parenthood’s efforts to permanently expand Medicaid

Planned Parenthood reiterated in its strategy document its intent to permanently expand the Medicaid program to include coverage of birth control.

Currently, Medicaid pays for birth control under what are normally called, "Family Planning Waiver Programs." A full history and current status of these waiver programs can be found on the web site of Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute.

We present here a short summary of the Guttmacher Institute article:

In the early years of the joint federal-state Medicaid program, eligibility was limited largely to low-income, single mothers and their children who were receiving welfare. In the 1980s, however, Congress broke the welfare-Medicaid link for pregnancy-related services by first allowing and later requiring states to extend eligibility for Medicaid-covered prenatal, delivery and postpartum care to women with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level.

In the 1990s, several states began pushing for Medicaid expansion to cover family planning services. In addition they raised the eligibility to 185% of the federal poverty level. Unlike the increases for pregnancy-related care, which are specifically provided for in the federal statute, these expansions require approval-generally referred to as a "waiver"-from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency that administers Medicaid.

As of December, 2003, the Guttmacher Institute reported that 18 states have gained approval for these waivers and another four states were waiting for approval. The states have a real incentive to push for these programs because the federal government pays 90% of the cost of providing family planning services and supplies under Medicaid, compared with 50-77% of the cost of other medical services, including pregnancy-related care.

Even before the new Planned Parenthood strategy document, it was leading efforts in Congress to make the providing of these family planning services a normal part of the Medicaid program so that they will not need to be obtained through waivers. The strategy document confirms that this is a major thrust nationally for PP.

Those opposing Planned Parenthood across the country should immediately put pressure on their state governments, and your elected members of congress, to end any “waiver” programs that currently exist and to keep “family planning” programs out of Medicaid.

Stop Planned Parenthood’s sex education programs

In 1986, Planned Parenthood announced a corporate goal of having its form of sex education in every school district in the nation. In addition, it clearly stated that these programs should be mandatory for all students.

In the latest strategy document, Planned Parenthood confirms that this is still a goal for Planned Parenthood.

This means that all of us must be ever vigilant in dealing with our schools. American Life League has a book, Parent Power!!, that has been helpful to parents all over the world in stopping these offensive Planned Parenthood programs.

You can obtain a copy of the book by calling 866-LET-LIVE or by ordering online.

Use the proven plan to defeat Planned Parenthood

For many years, people have been using American Life League’s Plan to Defeat Planned Parenthood with much success. It is the execution of this plan that has put Planned Parenthood in the position where it feels so “on the defensive.”

We call on all of you to read and implement this plan in your communities and your state. Doing so will continue to put pressure on Planned Parenthood and will result, in God’s time, in the closing of all Planned Parenthood operations in the country.

Back issues of the Wednesday STOPP Report.