Texas: Reproductive Clinics Are Losing State Funds

Over the last four years, Texas legislators have diverted millions of dollars away from specialized reproductive clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, in order to expand family-planning services at community health centers. Specialty clinic operators and their advocates believe the clinics have been caught in the cross-fire of anti-abortion politics. However, lawmakers who have reorganized the state family-planning budget -- including funding for birth control, STD screening, and other services -- say their aim is to offer more comprehensive health care, not push an agenda.

"This has been heartbreaking," said Patrice Capan, executive director of Family Health Care, which offers reproductive health care to underinsured and uninsured patients in Denton. With the change in how money is allocated, Capan has had to close one of her two clinics, slash services, and turn away hundreds of patients just as the economy has increased need.

Family-planning clinics in Texas can offer annual exams, birth-control prescriptions, and screenings for cervical and breast cancer and STDs. If they receive state funding, they cannot provide abortions. But advocates say these clinics are often linked by reputation -- if not by name -- with clinics that do offer legal abortions.

At community health centers, uninsured patients can be screened for other issues such as diabetes and heart disease, say lawmakers who led the shift of funds back in 2005. "Everyone thinks I've been doing this because I'm pro-life, because I don't like Planned Parenthood," said Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville), who is a family-practice physician. "It's really not the truth. I just like comprehensive care. And when you only go to a reproductive health clinic, there are other health problems that get overlooked."

In the current legislative session, lawmakers are considering giving reproductive health clinics some money back, so long it has not already been spent by community health centers.

Back to other news for June 2009