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Planned Parenthood braces to be defunded in anticipation of Trump presidency

Concerned abortion debate will cut funding
Posted at 2:17 PM, Dec 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-28 07:54:25-05

It has been a call by conservatives for years: Defund Planned Parenthood. Now that could be a very real scenario when the Trump administration takes office.

Planned Parenthood offices across the country are bracing for what happens to their patients if their federal funding gets cut off and the organization is removed from Medicaid.

Vicki Cowart is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains which covers Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and southern Nevada.

She's no stranger to fighting for funding.

"Different state administrations have said 'oh there's lots of other providers.' There are not lots of other providers," Cowart said. "Planned Parenthood is in rural communities. Planned Parenthood sees people that nobody else wants to see."

The controversy stems from Planned Parenthood being an abortion provider.

The organization says abortions make up less than 10 percent of its services and it does not use federal funding to perform them.

Cowart says Planned Parenthood is ramping up its private fundraising efforts in anticipation of losing federal backing, but is also boosting its lobbying to try to fight the move.