Planned Parenthood funding in crosshairs of proposed GOP health care bill

The proposed health care act, referred to as the American Health Care Act, that would repeal and replace the law known as “Obamacare” would bring major changes to healthcare in the United States – including impacting federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood could be defunded if this healthcare act passes and that would affect thousands of people who come through their doors every year on the Central Coast.

KCOY 12 spoke with people for and against this issue.

Over 6,000 people use the services at the Santa Maria Planned Parenthood location – with over 30,000 using their five locations located throughout the Central Coast.

“There’s a lot of little things that Planned Parenthood does, birth control, things that some people can’t reach to, can’t get to,” Planned Parenthood patient Diamond Leyva said.

Leyva says this type of support is important.

“So if something goes wrong they have somewhere to go to so they can have it explained to them,” Leyva said.

Jenna Tosh, the CEO of Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, says people living in Santa Maria rely on Planned Parenthood for much more than abortions.

“About five percent of the services provided at the Santa Maria health center are abortion related, so the vast majority of the services that we’re talking about are preventive health services,” CEO of Planned Parenthood California Central Coast Jenna Tosh said.

She’s talking about breast and cervical cancer screenings, family planning, std testing and treatment.

“Santa Maria is part of the county that is considered medically under served,” Tosh said.

The CBO says defunding Planned Parenthood would lead to thousands of more births in the United States per year.

Across the street, there was a group of people who are against Planned Parenthood and want to see them defunded.

“We’re presently here as part of the 40 days for life campaign.. we’re praying across the street from the local Planned Parenthood,” Richard McGreevy, who’s against Planned Parenthood said.

They stand out here five days a week and say people have other options.

“We believe abortion is the taking of an innocent defenseless human beings life and we just wish they were not in that business,” McGreevy said.