Health care advocates seek $3.4 million in Maine funding for reproductive health

Anna Mead, a nurse practitioner (left), and Dr. Andrea Peltier, medical director for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, present the state's approval for non-abortion reproductive health services provided by Planned Parenthood clinics in Maine. insisting on funding. Gregory Reck/Staff Photographer

Health care advocates are pushing a bill that would invest $3.4 million in annual state funding into women's reproductive health services across Maine.

The funding will be distributed to 61 health centers in Maine: 18 family planning facilities, 4 family planning facilities, 31 federally qualified health centers, and 8 school-based clinics .

These medical centers see patients regardless of whether they have insurance or are able to pay. The money will not be used for abortions, but will support a wide range of other care.

The bill, LD 1478, was approved by both the Maine House and Senate last year and carried into the current session by the Senate. No one testified against the bill last year, even though the House and Senate votes were along partisan lines with Democrats supporting it and Republicans opposing it.

“To ensure that these services and access to health care are available across the state, we as a state need to fund these critical services at the state level,” said Falmouth Democrat Teresa. Senator Pearce said. The bill's sponsor said in testimony last year:

Representatives for Democratic Gov. Janet Mills did not respond to questions about whether she supports the bill, even though she typically supports women's health issues.

But Rep. Michael Lemelin (R-Chelsea) said the reason many Republicans oppose the bill is because “we don't believe that no money should be spent on abortion, and we don't believe in taxpayer dollars. “I also don't believe that money should go to these clinics.”

Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood of Maine provide abortion care, but the bill's $3.4 million in new state funds will not be used for abortions, but instead for sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, vasectomies, and mammograms. , primary care, and behavioral health.

These clinics provide many reproductive health services that are often overlooked in the debate over abortion for political reasons.

“This is the foundation of Maine's public health infrastructure,” said Olivia Pennington, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Maine. “Some rural clinics are only open one or two days a week. This allows them to hire more staff, extend their business days, and keep their doors open longer. We can meet the needs of the people of Maine.”

For example, something as routine as treating a common sexually transmitted disease can have lifelong negative health consequences for patients if left undiagnosed and untreated, Pennington said.

At Northern New England Family Planning in downtown Portland, nurse Anna Mead says some patients don't receive consistent care and Planned Parenthood can become their only medical appointment of the year. said.

“We provide a lot of care to people who can't get care elsewhere,” Mead said. She said another way to keep people healthy is through adult vaccinations such as influenza and HPV.

Dr. Andrea Pelletier, medical director of the Planned Parenthood System of Northern New England, said the Planned Parenthood System does not offer in vitro fertilization services, but if it had more funding it would be able to offer vasectomies, menopause treatment, and infertility counseling. It will help expand services, including new services such as

Planned Parenthood is currently funded by the federal government and donors, but given the tough political climate surrounding abortion, Pelletier said it would be better to have a steady source of income. Family planning systems receive reimbursement for their services through Medicaid, a state-run program funded by a combination of federal and state funds, but no other state funding is available unless LD 1478 is approved. I haven't received it.

Maine Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood were temporarily withdrawn from Title The Biden administration repealed the gag rule in 2021.

While many states are restricting or banning abortion care following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision ending Roe v. Wade, Maine is expanding abortion rights and making abortion decisions more personal. It is up to the healthcare provider. Previously, Maine had banned abortions after the fetus was viable, typically between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Staff writer Kelley Bouchard contributed to this report.