CONCORD – Three reproductive health centers that provide 80% of state contraceptive services to more than 10,000 women, many of whom are of modest means, had their two-year contracts rejected by the state Executive Council on Wednesday along partisan lines.
The decision will make it more expensive and more difficult to receive those services and increase the burdens on emergency rooms and other parts of the state’s health care system that is now overwhelmed by COVID-19, the providers said.
Three other contracts for reproductive health care centers that do not offer abortions have been approved.
The council also approved funding for more COVID-19 vaccination sites and testing, as well as a campaign to encourage vaccinations.
No federal or state fund can pay for abortions under the law, but Republican advisers said they still have unanswered questions about how the funds are separated.
Republican executive advisers Joe Kenney of Wakefield, Janet Stevens of Rye, Ted Gatsas of Manchester and David Wheeler of Milford voted to reject the contracts.
This vote followed a similar path to a September vote to provide short-term funding to these clinics.
Democrat Cinde Warmington of Concord was the sole supporter of all contracts.
She called on the Republican majority to put aside politics and support public health at a time when the state’s health care system is overwhelmed by a pandemic.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who backed the contracts, called for a reconsideration and said the matter was not over.
The three clinics denied funding are Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, which reportedly received $125,000 to support this facility in Claremont, Manchester, Keene, Derry and Exeter; Joan G. Lovering Health Center in Greenland which would have received $336,934 and Concord Feminist Health Center (doing business as Equality Health Center), which would have received $558,395.
The contracts approved were for Amoskeag Health of Manchester for $335,512, Coos County Family Health of Berlin for $268,152 and Lamprey Health Care of Nashua for an approved contract of $431,505.
