Closure of Planned Parenthood clinics in Louisiana

Planned Parenthood’s two clinics in Louisiana closed Tuesday due to challenges that the organization said made it impossible to operate there.

The clinics were in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The president of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast said the closures were forced by “escalating political attacks that have dismantled public health infrastructure and prevented patients from accessing care.”

The closures follow a court ruling last month this affected clinics’ ability to accept Medicaid reimbursements for providing patient care, paving the way for the implementation of a provision of President Trump’s tax and spending bill.

“A federal court has allowed the Trump administration’s ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood to go into effect, preventing Medicaid patients from accessing care at our health centers,” the organization said in mid-September.

Planned Parenthood said ⁠Texas has excluded the organization from the state’s Medicaid program since 2021, but the latest decision means Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast can no longer accept Medicaid at its Louisiana health centers.⁠

Planned Parenthood has warned of other possible shutdowns nationwide amid cuts to Medicaid funding in Mr. Trump’s spending and tax bill, which directs the government to stop Medicaid payments for a year to some abortion providers.

But while many Planned Parenthood clinics offer abortion services, Louisiana clinics that have closed had not offered abortion services at any time in their 40-year history, according to the New Orleans Department of Health. Planned Parenthood has never had a license to perform abortions in Louisiana, the Associated Press reported.

Last year, the New Orleans clinic served about 16,000 patients for care and testing for sexually transmitted infections, and nearly 9,000 patients for family planning care, including birth control and pregnancy testing, according to Planned Parenthood data provided by the New Orleans Department of Health.

“We know that Planned Parenthood New Orleans on Claiborne Avenue served tens of thousands of patients with sexual and reproductive health services each year, and this clinic was important because it was open to uninsured or underinsured people who did not feel comfortable going elsewhere,” said Jeannie Donovan, deputy director of population health and disease prevention at the department. of New Orleans Health. “It met a real need in our community.”

Donovan said his department is working hard to fill the gap in people who rely on the New Orleans clinic. for healthcare needs, creating new maps and databases for patients to find new primary care options.

Clinics in New Orleans and Baton Rouge have performed nearly 30,000 tests for sexually transmitted infections, as well as 1,800 cancer screenings and 655 ultrasounds. They saw 14,400 visits for birth control, the AP reported.

“As this chapter closes, community leaders and stakeholders continue to explore possible avenues to continue the mission of promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights in Louisiana,” Melaney Linton, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, said in a statement to CBS News. “Even though this future will not be possible thanks to the PPGC, the need remains urgent and this fight is not over.”

Some, however, applauded these closures. Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry said Tuesday on social media, “It’s a win for babies, a win for mothers, and a win for LIFE!”

“Planned Parenthood has built its business around promoting death,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill. “Louisiana is proud to defend life. We will always protect women and babies here in our state.”

Planned Parenthood said in July that 200 clinics — out of about 600 — across the United States were also at risk of closing due to federal policy changes and funding cuts, although the organization is trying to restore its funding through the courts.

Last week, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced it would stop scheduling abortions, and the Arizona affiliate announced it would stop providing care to people covered by Medicaid. The changes come after five clinics in California, as well as eight in Iowa and Minnesota, closed their doors earlier this year.

Planned Parenthood is now absent in four states: Louisiana, Wyoming, Mississippi and North Dakota.

Posters with encouraging words for New Orleans clinic staff were taped to the clinic’s back entrance Tuesday, including one saying “heroes work here” and another saying “we appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Donovan, of the New Orleans Department of Health, believes other challenges lie ahead for Louisiana’s other public health clinics.

“Implementing HR-1, or the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ presents similar challenges in limiting access to health care, which could hurt the finances of medical providers as fewer people receive Medicaid in the city, which is expected,” Donovan said.

The Associated Press

contributed to this report.