Planned Parenthood of Illinois expects to continue providing abortion referrals, despite the Trump administration’s newest rule threatening Title X funding.

The Trump administration finalized new regulations last week, pulling Title X funding from any organization that provides or refers patients for abortions. Title X funding comes from the federal government, covering STD prevention, contraception or other health services, especially for low-income patients.

Julie Lynn, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, told the Chicago Tribune this week that the organization will continue to do everything they can to provide patients with the care they need.
“We will not violate our own medical ethics, and because of what the gag rule does, which blocks patients from getting accurate information about their care, we won’t accept the money,” Lynn told the Tribune.
According to the Chicago Tribune, from September 2018 through March 2019, Planned Parenthood of Illinois received over $2 million in Title X funding. Across the state, over 70 centers received Title X funding, as of November 2018.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined nine other Democratic governors in calling the Trump administration to rescind the regulations in a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The letter also said if the regulations are not stopped, governors will explore other options to block them.
In a news release Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services said the new rule will improve the quality of care and increase the number of patients served.

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