FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 4, 2014
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, 202-293-3114 ext. 207
Removing Tax Credits Creates Uncertainty for Family Planning Network
Statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA)
WASHINGTON, DC – “Today the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in King v. Burwell, a case that will decide whether financial assistance to purchase health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can continue to be made available in the 34 states that participate in the federally supported marketplace. If the Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, an estimated 9.3 million people will be at risk of losing access to affordable care, and women in particular will bear the brunt of the burden.
“Thanks to the health reform law, more women than ever before have the security of knowing they have access to coverage that provides a full range of preventive health benefits, including contraception, cancer screenings, and well woman visits at no additional cost. The tax credits have provided a lifeline to millions of women who could not otherwise afford insurance.
“Affordability and access to care go hand in hand. If you dismantle one, the other falls with it. If the King plaintiffs prevail, the family planning and sexual health care services that women and men rely on will be compromised.
“Regardless of the outcome of King v. Burwell, the family planning safety net will continue to provide high-quality family planning care for patients. However, the Title X program has been woefully underfunded in recent years and is not designed to absorb the unmet needs of insured individuals. In fact, Title X was designed to support health care that cannot be paid for by another source. Ruling in favor of King would put enormous burden on an already strained and under-funded family planning provider network.
“The law has made tremendous progress in covering the uninsured and achieving health equity for women in this country. I urge the Court to ensure that the gains we have made thanks to the health reform law are not undone.”
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The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) is a membership organization representing the nation's family planning providers—nurses, nurse practitioners, administrators and other key health care professionals. For 41 years, NFPRHA members have provided high-quality preventive health care services in thousands of health centers to millions of women and men annually. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.