FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Februsry 12, 2018
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, (202) 344-5805, asandusky@nfprha.org

White House Budget Fails to Invest in Preventive Health Care
Statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO of NFPRHA

WASHINGTON, DC – "President Trump’s fiscal year 2019 budget request released today represents a missed opportunity to strengthen essential programs that protect the health and well-being of poor and low-income people across the country. The president’s budget calls to restructure Medicaid expansion programs into block grants and flat fund Title X, our nation’s family planning program that ensures access to high-quality family planning care for four million people every year. Additionally, the budget would seek to prohibit any federal funding for certain entities that provide abortions, including Planned Parenthood.

“Unfortunately, the proposal to reform Medicaid could result in deep cuts to federal funding for state Medicaid programs and jeopardize health coverage for an untold number of poor and low-income people. This budget proposal also includes a funding level for Title X that is woefully inadequate to meet communities’ basic health needs. Title X has endured nearly a decade of stagnant service delivery funding and, under current funding levels, can only serve about one fifth of women in need of publicly funded care.

“Our nation’s family planning providers and administrators depend on strong federal funding to help millions of people access the high-quality, evidence-based preventive care they need to stay healthy. When critical preventive health services are left underfunded, we risk deepening a crisis in public health that has suffered from years of neglect. The government, in partnership with a diverse network of health care providers, plays an essential role in protecting and promoting the public’s health. On behalf of the family planning safety net, we oppose any budget that targets poor, low-income, and vulnerable individuals in our country.”

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The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) is a membership organization representing providers and administrators committed to helping people get the family planning education and care they need to make the best choices for themselves and their loved ones. NFPRHA works to enhance the ability of thousands of nurse practitioners, doctors, and other health professionals to provide high-quality family planning care through training and advocacy. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.