Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series investigating the lies, cover-ups, and abuses inside Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion chain.
Dr. Robert Siudmack worked as an abortionist for Planned Parenthood. After he quit, he took part in a video series called “10 Truths About Abortion.” There, he explains the abortion chain’s focus on money:
I worked at the [Planned Parenthood] Margaret Sanger Center in downtown Manhattan for about a year before moving to South Florida, and it was all about the money, and how many abortions we could do in a short period of time. There was a set price, and obviously the more abortions one did, the more money they would make…. Abortion is big business.
Abby Johnson, a former director at Planned Parenthood, says abortion quotas were required at the clinics, and hundreds of dollars needed to be made off of each self-pay abortion. A video from Johnson’s organization, And Then There Were None, explains the details.
And Then There Were None. from Abe Films on Vimeo.
An email from Johnson continued, “When I voiced my concerns to my supervisor, she laughed and said, ‘But Abby, abortion is how we make our money.'”
An abortionist who very recently left his job after he held a living, aborted baby in his hands asked Johnson to share his story. He reveals, “People have asked me why I became a doctor who performed abortions. If I’m honest, the original draw was the money.”
In an op-ed for The Washington Times, Sue Thayer, a former abortion clinic manager at Planned Parenthood tackled the big business aspect of the abortion chain. She specifically discussed “telemed abortions” where a woman does not see a doctor in person prior to having a medication abortion. (See what a medication abortion is here.)
So what does Planned Parenthood, the “trusted friend of women,” love so much about telemed abortions? Low overhead costs.
My superiors justified telemed abortions, lauding the financial benefits of not having to worry about or pay for specialized equipment, staff and a traveling physician – all required with surgical abortions.
When I expressed my concerns, I was “let go,” supposedly because of “downsizing.”
The final veil had been lifted and Planned Parenthood’s big lie was exposed: Planned Parenthood is not about helping women access health care. Instead, it is about making money. And abortion is its moneymaker. Telemed abortion is its mega moneymaker.
According to their own recently released 2009-10 annual report, Planned Parenthood performed more than 329,000 abortions. Conservatively estimating that each abortion cost $450, abortion services brought in $148 million of Planned Parenthood’s overall $320 million in clinic revenue, representing 46 percent of its operating budget.
The focus on profit seems to have carried down to Planned Parenthood’s treatment of its patients – at least according to numerous patients who are speaking out. A collection of Yelp reviews of Planned Parenthoods around the nation describes the treatment of patients and the ability of the abortion chain to milk extra cash out of women – even on “services” unrelated to abortion:
… But the staff was still rude and careless. Every question I asked was a nuisance. I wish this place could close asap, because they are not dealing with patients respectfully. It’s one thing to be pro-choice ( ad I am 100%), it’s another thing to be treated like a dog.
…I wanted to support planned parenthood. First, everyone at reception went out of their way to be rude. … She [the nurse] was harried and also rude. She seemed disinterested in anything I had to say, handed me a pamphlet, and told me to schedule another appointment. In addition, the walls are NOT soundproof, as I heard someone else getting a consultation about something that I KNOW she would not want to be overheard. I was really disappointed in how generally rude everyone was, and the poor quality of the service. …
What a horrible experience! False advertisement! … I went to their downtown center for some education and counseling service they advertise on their website, was told that I have to call the number to do it unless i want to pay $80 to talk to someone in person. …
Apparently, at planned parenthood if you need an annual you still need to schedule a separate appointment to get birth control and then pay a copay. I thought this was supposed to be a cheap alternative to a doctors office…
Concerning abortion and profit, Live Action’s Sarah Terzo explains: “Of course, abortionists have to cope with seeing dismembered pieces of babies every day and deal with opposition from pro-life activists. But if they can put up with these things, abortions can be very profitable for them.” She quotes Dr. Anthony Levatino, a former (non-Planned Parenthood) abortionist who is featured in the Abortion Procedures video series:
In my practice, we were averaging between $250 and $500 for an abortion, and it was cash. That’s the only time as a doctor you can say, either pay me up front or I’m not going to take care of you. It’s totally elective… Either you have the money or you don’t. And they get it.
Through medical animation, Dr. Levatino explains D&E abortions in the video below. D&E abortions are the most commonly committed in the second trimester in the U.S.
You can also check out “10 quotes that reveal how profitable abortion is” to read details from others who work in the abortion industry.
Previous articles in the Inside Planned Parenthood Series:
- Inside Planned Parenthood: Covering up child sexual abuse
- Planned Parenthood workers: We lied to women about the development of their babies
