Josh Hawley’s misinformation on abortion and Title X hurts Missourians | Opinion

A patient overdue for a cervical cancer screening is trying to catch a potential health issue before it becomes a crisis.

A young woman in rural Missouri needs a birth control appointment before she leaves for college in the fall.

Someone who may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection is searching for a nearby clinic, hoping to be seen quickly.

These are the Missourians caught in the crossfire when politicians prioritize headlines over people’s health.

Last week, Sen. Josh Hawley used a congressional hearing to spread misinformation about Missouri’s Title X program — the nation’s only federal family planning program.

He falsely conflated Title X services with abortion care, misrepresented Beacon Reproductive Health Network’s role in administering these federal funds, and used this critical health care program as a political football. To be clear: Beacon is not a health care provider and does not offer abortion care.

Missourians deserve better.

This issue is about far more than one senator’s latest headline-grabbing moment. It’s about whether more than 35,000 people across our state will continue to have access to essential health care services they rely on every day.

Created in 1970 with broad bipartisan support, Title X helps ensure people — particularly those who are uninsured, underinsured or living on low incomes — can access sexual and reproductive health care. Title X clinics offer affordable birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, wellness exams, preconception services, infertility assessments and other essential care.

For more than 40 years, Beacon has responsibly administered Missouri’s Title X program in full compliance with federal law. Through this work, we support a statewide network of more than 60 health centers, including local health departments, community action agencies, federally qualified health centers and Planned Parenthood affiliates. Together, these providers make up a critical part of Missouri’s reproductive health care safety net.

These services aren’t political talking points. They’re routine appointments, early diagnoses, peace of mind and the ability to plan for the future. For decades, Missourians have relied on Title X — often without ever knowing its name.

However, even with Title X, Missouri continues to face significant health care access challenges, including provider shortages, and limited preventive care options in rural areas. Patients are already navigating long drives, missed wages, insurance barriers, child care conflicts and rising out-of-pocket costs just to make routine appointments.

In many communities, Title X providers are the only source of reproductive health care for miles.

And yet, while Missouri families are trying to refill prescriptions, schedule appointments and get answers about their health, Sen. Hawley is manufacturing confusion about a program that tens of thousands of his constituents depend on every year.

That misinformation has consequences.

When politicians distort what Title X does, patients begin to wonder whether services are disappearing. Some delay appointments. Some skip screenings. Some decide it’s not worth taking unpaid time off work when they’re unsure if a clinic can help them.

Political grandstanding doesn’t fill prescriptions or schedule cancer screenings. It doesn’t expand access to birth control, infertility services or STI testing and treatment. While politicians chase viral moments, providers are answering phones, scheduling appointments and helping patients every single day.

Title X has served communities for more than 50 years. Beacon has spent more than 40 years helping ensure these services remain accessible across Missouri. Missourians deserve health systems built on facts, trust and dignity. This work should be strengthened — not sacrificed for political headlines.

Michelle Trupiano is executive director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Beacon Reproductive Health Network in Jefferson City.