TRUTH: Planned Parenthood does not perform mammograms and does not possess the equipment to do so. They refer customers to programs who provide free or low-cost screenings just like the primary care doctors and health departments do.

This myth has been perpetuated by no less than the current president, Obama. This means either: (1) he’s too stupid to get his facts straight, or (2) he’s deliberately misleading the public to keep public taxpayer funding for the for-profit abortion provider. Personally, I’m not really sure which one it is. Either sounds perfectly plausible.

TRUTH: There are many ways for women to receive free (or very low cost) breast (and cervical) cancer screenings:

• State Health Departments (use funding from Medicaid, Medicare and NBCCEDP)
• Low Income Clinics (ditto)
• Most Insurance covers annual pap smears free as part of preventative care (from at least the age of 21 up). They also cover mammograms from the age of about 35 – 40 up.
• Medicaid covers annual pap smears (Actual details vary from state to state). It covers annual screening mammograms from age 40 up.
• Medicare covers biannual pap smears (annual if high risk or history of abnormal pap results). It covers annual mammograms.
• The CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides screenings and diagnostic services to low-income,
  uninsured, and underinsured women.

Another interesting bit of information: Did you know Planned Parenthood is technically a non-profit? That’s how it weasels taxpayer money out of the government. But are they really??

For the 2011-2012 fiscal year PP reported over 87 million dollars in “excess over expenses” revenue. In other words, $87+million profit. For the 2010-2011 fiscal year they reported $155.5 million in profit. And with all this, 44% – 45% of their income comes from government funding.

Planned Parenthood likes to say that only 3% of their services involve abortion. That’s because 1 abortion and 1 STD screening and 1 contraceptive pill each count as 1 service. Let’s look at that more closely:

More information:

Cancer.org
NBCCEDP
Medicare Cervical Cancer Screenings
“Planned Parenthood Sees Record High Abortions, Taxpayer Funding”