Planned Parenthood of Indiana performs abortions — a procedure that amounts to about 3 percent of its services.
Even though it doesn't use federal funding for these procedures, eight clinics could be penalized if Indiana House Bill 1205 is passed.
The bill calls for an end to federal abortion funding. It also prohibits state agencies from entering contracts with businesses that provide abortion services and cancels state funding for any current contracts with these agencies.
In an open letter on the Planned Parenthood of Indiana website, President and CEO Betty Cockrum wrote that this funding loss could affect areas of the state that need the services the most.
Federally funded centers operate at a net loss of more than $90,000, and PPIN uses private fundraising to make up the difference.
"This is the truth about our funding, yet some state legislators are trying to make it illegal for the state to contract with or grant to PPIN," Cockrum wrote. "To make matters worse, anti-choice organizations are using deceptive tactics to try and discredit our organization and make the case for taking away funding."
One example is the Indiana Right to Life, which advocates for a swift approval of the bill.
The reason for its concern comes from an undercover video released by Live Action that shows a Planned Parenthood counselor accommodating a couple posing as leaders of a prostitution ring of underage girls.
It's not surprising that a Christian organization such as Right to Life would support the bill, which was proposed by Rep. Matt Ubelhor, a Catholic who grew up in Bristow, Ind., as one of 11 children.
Some might not agree with the bill on principle, but maybe they should take a step back to consider the economic impact of closing these Planned Parenthood offices.
It would cost the state an additional $68 million in Medicaid costs, according to the PPIN website. For every public dollar spent on family planning in Indiana, taxpayers save $4.78 in state and federal Medicaid costs, according to the site.
The National Center for Health Statistics indicates that teenage birth rates went down significantly in 2009, the most recent year for which information is available. It decreased 8 percent since 2007.
Women in Indiana rely on PPIN for more than abortions. Almost 60 percent of the 10 million services performed in 2008 were for treatments of sexually transmitted diseases and infections, one-third were to offer contraceptives and 17 percent of the services were for cancer screenings.
PPIN isn't just about abortions, and it pays these services without federal funding. Indiana should not penalize these clinics because of its statehouse agenda.
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