04-04-2025
Cuts to family planning programs could increase healthcare prices in Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — $8 million worth of federally-funded grants have been withheld from Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi according to its CEO.
This comes after a funding freeze was placed on Title X programs throughout the country, impacting a number of organizations and nine Planned Parenthood affiliates.
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According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Title X service grants have helped provide affordable birth control, cancer screenings, and other family planning services to people with low incomes for over 50 years.
In the 16 months Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi has received this grant funding, CEO Ashley Coffield said they have seen over 21,000 patients.
'Taking away Title X family planning dollars from Tennessee providers, including Planned Parenthood, will make health care more expensive for Tennesseans, period,' she said.
With Title X being the nation's only federal program dedicated to providing affordable family planning and preventative health services, Coffield said withholding this funding will change the way that they're able to provide services.
'There are a number of things that we're able to do for people with Title X funding that make services completely free based on their income and family size, and we may not be able to do all of that going forward without Title x support,' said Coffield.
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Planned Parenthood is one of the only health centers in East Tennessee who receive this funding.
In 2023, the Tennessee Department of Health was kicked out of the program for failing to comply with its rules.
'We worked with another Planned Parenthood affiliate to apply for the dollars and through, an application process. We were able to expand an existing Title X grant in another state to include Tennessee, and then we became a sub-grantee,' said Coffield.
Despite this, the Trump administration recently restored Title X funds to the Tennessee Department of Health.
'They didn't apply for the money, according to the existing rules of the program, they are not eligible for the money, yet the Trump administration has sent them an award letter while freezing our funding,' said Coffield.
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In a statement to 6 News, the Knox County Health Department said 'it is too early to speculate on how the department will obligate the funding.' However, Coffield said Title X was a perfect fit for them.
'We do not provide abortion services. We provide all forms of birth control, we provide STI testing and treatment, we provide cancer screenings, gender affirming care and other preventive services,' she said. 'The program fits perfectly with the types of services that Planned Parenthood provides.'
Coffield said the loss of Title X funding will increase the price of healthcare, she emphasized that planned parenthood and their services will remain open, and they will continue to provide affordable care for their patients.
As part of the funding freeze, Coffield also told 6 News they are under a compliance investigation, and while she said they are cooperating, it is unknown when, or if, they will be able to continue using this grant funding.
Tennessee Right to Life shared a statement with 6 News praising the decision to take as funding away from Planned Parenthood and to restored Title X funds to the Tennessee Department of Health.
'To take funding from real healthcare providers and give it to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, was a slap in the face to the people of Tennessee who are proud to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Restoring Tennessee's funding will ensure that these tax dollars will be used to help Tennesseans, not kill our most vulnerable citizens. For that we are grateful,' said Stacy Dunn, President of Tennessee Right to Life.
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