Planned Parenthood is shutting down locations across the country as Trump administration funding cuts target organizations with DEI initiatives, causing the abortion provider to pivot to mail-order solutions.
At a Glance
- Multiple Planned Parenthood facilities across New York, Illinois, Utah, and Michigan are closing due to Trump administration freeze on Title X funds
- Federal funding restrictions target organizations with DEI programs or those serving undocumented immigrants
- $27.5 million of Title X’s annual budget is currently frozen and under review
- Planned Parenthood received $699.3 million in government funding annually, representing 39% of its revenue
- In response to clinic closures, Planned Parenthood is shifting focus to mail-order abortion pills
Trump Administration Targets Planned Parenthood Funding
The Trump administration has withheld tens of millions of dollars from Planned Parenthood affiliates across nine states, citing potential violations of federal civil rights law and presidential executive orders. Notices were sent to these affiliates specifically questioning their commitment to serving Black communities and undocumented immigrants. The affected organizations have been given just 10 days to provide evidence of compliance with the executive orders or risk permanent loss of funding.
— Jared (@zerofiveniner) July 27, 2024
In addition to freezing Title X “family planning” grants, the administration has enforced the Hyde Amendment prohibiting federal funding for abortion, reinstated the Mexico City Policy preventing foreign aid to organizations providing abortions, and frozen USAID spending. These combined actions have significantly restricted the financial resources available to Planned Parenthood, which has historically received nearly $700 million annually in government funds.
Nationwide Clinic Closures
The funding restrictions have triggered a wave of clinic closures across multiple states. Planned Parenthood has shuttered four facilities in Michigan and two in Utah, with additional locations closing in Illinois and New York. The Utah affiliate has been forced to raise fees and lay off staff due to the frozen funds. Planned Parenthood of Great Northwest, Hawaiʻi, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, which operates 33 health centers, is among the organizations affected by the funding freeze.
“The thing that people will lose is quick access to high-quality, low-cost care,” said interim president Shireen Ghorbani.
Other providers in the federal family planning program have also received reduced funding or no funding at all. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately $27.5 million of Title X’s annual budget is currently frozen and under review to ensure compliance with federal law. This represents a significant portion of the program’s funding that previously supported these organizations.
The Shift to Mail-Order Solutions
In response to these closures, Planned Parenthood is increasingly turning to mail-order abortion pills as an alternative means of maintaining their services. These telehealth abortions have helped sustain the organization’s operations since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, though they cannot fully replace surgical abortion procedures. The Trump administration has reportedly indicated it has “no plans” to restrict the distribution of abortion pills by mail.
“Cutting Title X funding for Planned Parenthood affiliates will only drive up people’s health care costs, or, frankly, prevent them from accessing health care at all,” said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of the Planned Parenthood affiliate serving six states in the Northwest.
Health policy experts suggest the current funding cuts could have an even more significant impact than similar restrictions during Trump’s first administration, which led to a dramatic drop in Title X services. This is primarily due to the changed legal landscape following the Supreme Court’s decision eliminating federal protections for abortion. The Biden administration had previously scrapped Trump-era Title X restrictions in 2021, but the provider network has not fully recovered.
Congressional Action and Legal Challenges
Congressional Republicans have proposed additional legislation targeting Planned Parenthood’s funding, including the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act and the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. These bills aim to further restrict federal funds from being used for abortion services. Meanwhile, reproductive health advocates have criticized the administration’s approach as bypassing proper rulemaking procedures.
“The administration would have been well within its rights to say, ‘We have a new president with new priorities, so we’re going to give you 30 days, 45 days, even just two weeks, to amend your application,'” said Clare Coleman, president and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.
Planned Parenthood has faced additional scrutiny over allegations of serious injuries, botched abortions, and complaints about staff training and facility conditions. The organization’s annual report showed a reduction in non-abortion services in recent years, while critics of the funding cuts argue they will reduce access to healthcare for low-income Americans who rely on these clinics for various services beyond abortion.
