Defunding Planned Parenthood would cost government $130 million: CBO estimate (al.com)

By Howard Koplowitz | hkoplowitz@al.com
on September 23, 2015 at 4:38 PM, updated September 23, 2015 at 5:09 PM

If Congress were to no longer fund Planned Parenthood, the government would have to spend an additional $130 million over 10 years, according to a letter from the Congressional Budget Office.

CBO Director Keith Hall wrote to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday, about the budget implications of defunding Planned Parenthood amid the push by Republicans to withhold federal funds from the organization in light of a series of controversial videos targeting the group. Planned Parenthood has said the videos were highly edited and that tissue samples discussed in the videos were given for medical research and that they did not profit off the sales as alleged by critics.

Republicans want to pass a bill to put a one-year moratorium on Planned Parenthood's federal funding, but the legislation doesn't have Democratic support. If Republicans try to pass a budget bill that includes no monies for Planned Parenthood, it could trigger a government shutdown. The government would run out of money by the end of the month without a budget.

The CBO's projection is based on Planned Parenthood being defunded indefinitely, although the agency admits that coming up with a figure is "highly uncertain'' because it's unclear whether Planned Parenthood would continue operations under that scenario, whether individuals would go to other clinics that receive Medicaid funds or if those who use Planned Parenthood's services would not go to another provider.

The $130 illion in costs would be incurred by Medicaid due to more woman giving birth because they couldn't obtain contraception or an abortion.
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more: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/defunding_planned_parenthood_w.html#incart_most-commented_news_article

The original letter is at the active link above.