By Esteban Fernandez, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — President Donald Trump’s budget may defund women’s health care in some areas should the bill passed by the House of Representatives move through the US Senate unchanged.
The bill, H.R. 1, prohibits federal funds from reaching agencies that provide family planning services, reproductive health and related care. However, family planning encompasses more than just reproductive or abortion-related services.
“There’s so much more involved than just planning for contraceptives,” Marion County Health Department Director David Whittaker said. “There’s many components. There is breast and cervical cancer screenings, there is sexually transmitted disease testing and pregnancy tests. They get to see a doctor, a physician they may not normally get.”
The Marion County Health Department doesn’t currently offer family planning, but is working on bringing it back. The service was discontinued during the pandemic. Whittaker said the Health Department is targeting July 1 as the return date for family planning services.
