Wisconsin cuts Planned Parenthood, denying 12,000 women needed care

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) signed a $66 billion budget yesterday that reduced funding for education and health care, cutting off all state and federal funding for nine Planned Parenthood clinics state-wide.

Loss of the clinics, which provide preventative health screenings, reproductive education and abortion services, will leave over 12,000 uninsured women to search the private health market for future care, the non-profit said.

Planned Parenthood said it has 27 clinics in Wisconsin, which serve about 73,000 patients every year. In 2009, according to PPFA's national figures, 96 percent of its activities were dedicated to cancer screenings, STD or STI testing, counseling, education or pregnancy testing and prevention.

Wisconsin is the fourth state to ban funding for Planned Parenthood, behind North Carolina, Tennessee and Indiana. Texas is expected to follow suit in the coming days.

(H/T: National Journal)