Planned Parenthood just rejected Title X funding — here's what that means for all of us For years, anti-abortion protesters and conservative politicians alike have demanded that the federal government defund Planned Parenthood. The Trump administration has gone to great lengths to target Planned Parenthood as well, implementing a domestic "gag rule" that blocks abortion providers from receiving Title X funding. On August 19th, the organization announced that it will reject Title X money so it can continue providing and referring patients for abortions. Alexis McGill Johnson, "The New York Times" As the Times notes, the organization previously received about $60 million annually through Title X, and it served about 1.5 million people through the program — about 40% of all Title X patients. The Trump administration has predictably attempted to depict Planned Parenthood as the bad guys for rejecting Title X funding. A Department of Health and Human Services statement to NPR accuses "some grantees" of "abandoning their obligations to serve their patients under the program" because they had chosen not to follow the gag rule. So, what can patients expect from all this? McGill Johnson told Time that the organization would use emergency funds to help stay open, but she didn’t say if some Planned Parenthood clinics would be forced to close. She also noted that the changes could lead to longer wait times and much farther travel distances for patients seeking care under Title X. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without Planned Parenthood, remaining Title X providers will have to increase their number of clients by an average of 47 percent. In the meantime, the fight to repeal the gag rule will continue. According to Time, Planned Parenthood, along with 20 states and several other healthcare organizations, will challenge the policy in court (again) on September 23rd. We shouldn’t have to keep saying this, but the gag rule is dangerous. Now, more than ever, is a great time to donate to Planned Parenthood if you can.