Op-ed: Statewide family planning needs greater support

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) is facing a financial crisis unlike any we have experienced in our organization’s nearly 60-year history — and it could jeopardize our ability to provide care in the future.

Because of a significantly broken health care system and continued political attacks, PPNNE is estimating a funding gap of $8.6 million over the next three years. This gap is driven by systemic failures within the health care industry, which has for decades undervalued the care we provide and the people we provide care to. The pandemic, insufficient reimbursement rates, and the national loss of abortion rights snowballed to create an unsustainable reality. And, in New Hampshire, these challenges have been exacerbated by anti-abortion politicians who have systematically worked to undermine Planned Parenthood’s ability to operate.

This looming financial catastrophe is not just a number on a balance sheet—it represents a direct threat to the health and well-being of tens of thousands of people across New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont who rely on Planned Parenthood for critical health care.

The New Hampshire Executive Council has been putting politics before people’s health. Since July 2021, this body has rejected five contracts for providers of reproductive health care, contracts that would have provided Granite Staters with low incomes the ability to access family planning services. This resulted in loss of $1.3 million in funding for PPNNE alone. These rejections were not based on any public health rationale but were purely driven by political, anti-abortion agendas – even though the funding could only be used for preventative sexual and reproductive health care services, not abortion services. This action has contributed to an unbearable strain on PPNNE’s ability to continue to provide care, particularly to those who need it most: low-income individuals, people of color, young people, the uninsured, and those living in rural or medically underserved areas of New Hampshire.

Beyond the Executive Council, the Republican candidate for governor, Kelly Ayotte, voted consistently to defund Planned Parenthood health centers during her time in the United States Senate. She has even stated she would continue her attacks on public health by preventing PPNNE from rejoining the NH Family Planning Program – a program exclusively designed to fund health care centers that provide cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and birth control for lower-income Granite Staters – all services that Planned Parenthood health centers provide.

The consequences of these political attacks are clear and they are dire. Without adequate funding, PPNNE may be forced to make tough choices about our capacity of care, which jeopardizes access to essential health care for the most vulnerable members of our community. These cuts could have concrete consequences, including worsened pregnancy outcomes, higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, and increased risks of cervical and breast cancers — all because a few politicians decided their ideological battles were more important than Granite Staters’ public health.

This crisis is not just a Planned Parenthood problem; it is a community problem. For many of our patients, PPNNE is their primary source of health care. In fact, in New Hampshire, 60% of patients covered under the nation’s family planning program – Title X –  said that their Title X-funded health center was their only health care provider. PPNNE serves as a critical safety net, providing high-quality, affordable, and often free health care services to those who would otherwise go without. And let’s not forget the impact on New Hampshire’s health care budget—family planning programs save the state millions in taxpayer dollars by protecting against reproductive cancers and STIs. Research has shown that publicly funded family planning services save $4.83 for every dollar states invest in this critical care.

In November, New Hampshire voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard. This election is about more than just choosing candidates; it’s about choosing whether or not we value the health and well-being of our communities. We need elected officials who understand that real health equity can only be achieved through a partnership between providers and the state. We need leaders who will not only restore Planned Parenthood’s funding through the New Hampshire Family Planning Program but also increase funding to ensure that everyone in our state has access to the care they need.

Planned Parenthood Votes will be working tirelessly to remind Granite Staters of the stakes in this election. The choices we make at the ballot box will determine whether or not Planned Parenthood health centers—and the people who rely on them—can continue to thrive. We urge voters to support candidates who prioritize sexual and reproductive health care and who understand that access to these services is a fundamental human right. Because when Planned Parenthood is under attack, it’s our communities that suffer.