Threats to repeal the Affordable Care Act and an executive order by President Donald Trump that defunds International Planned Parenthood have caused concern among some Kansas State students.
Days after being sworn into office, Trump signed an executive order that limits the funds available to organizations that provide abortions, including Planned Parenthood, an organization that also provides non-abortion related services to patients.
According to the Planned Parenthood website, the organization works under the Affordable Care Act and provides options that require minimal patient costs for birth control, cancer screenings and other health benefits if the patient is supported by private health insurance. With the loss of funding due to the executive order, services at the organization may become too costly for women who use the center.Related:
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The ramifications of the executive order could impact students at college campuses, including K-State, where many students are sexually active. Sexual issues, such as pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, have the potential to affect students.
Although Planned Parenthood offers non-abortion related services, many K-State students said they were unsure exactly what those were. Taylor Corbitt, freshman in open option, said Planned Parenthood should continue to receive funds for services such as sex education, body image support and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, among others.
“I don’t think that (Planned Parenthood) should be defunded, just because people use that, and it’s important to know if you have an STI or to be able to get birth control,” Corbitt said.
Catalina Donnelly-Vazquez, sophomore in mass communications, said she would direct any friends on campus to Planned Parenthood if they asked for guidance with sexual issues.
Paloma Roman, junior in mass communications, said services like Planned Parenthood are important for people who do not have a high income.
“Given that I don’t have insurance, I pay for the services based on income because I don’t have a full-time job,” Roman said.
Roman said she receives Depo-Provera shots, a form of birth control, but would not be able to afford the shots without the Affordable Care Act.
Beyond cuts to the organization’s birth control services, students seeking abortion-related services could lose access to those services at Planned Parenthood.
