New Report: In The Year Since Planned Parenthood “Defund,” Patients Faced More Barriers, Got Less Care

Nearly 30 Health Centers Closed Since "Defund," Leaving Patients with Less Access to Essential Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the year since President Trump and his allies in Congress "defunded" Planned Parenthood in an attempt to force the nation's largest, most trusted provider of reproductive health care to shut down, patients bore the cost of the politically motivated attacks on care, according to a new report from Planned Parenthood Action Fund (Action Fund) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA).

The report makes clear the devastating effect of the "defund" provision: Patients lost lifesaving, affordable health care, communities lost trusted providers of care, and people have been irreparably harmed. Planned Parenthood organizations and reproductive health care champions at the state level continue to do everything possible to ensure patients can get the care they need, and those efforts have made a tangible difference. But new data shows a stark decline in patients getting essential sexual and reproductive health care at Planned Parenthood health centers, with Medicaid visits dropping by 25% or over 250,000 visits compared to the same time period during the previous year.

Amid these attacks, Planned Parenthood health centers made herculean efforts to keep care affordable and state commitments helped stabilize services over the past year - otherwise, patients would have been left without options for trusted care.

Highlights from the report include:

• Reduced Access to Essential Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
  • Nearly 30 health centers, which served roughly 41,000 birth control patients, have been forced to close.
  • Two-thirds (66%) of health center closures occurred in rural areas, medically underserved areas (MUAs), or health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) for primary care. All health center closures were in "contraceptive deserts" or counties where there are too few health care providers offering the full range of methods for women eligible for publicly funded birth control.
  • There has been a stark drop in patients getting key sexual and reproductive health care services at Planned Parenthood health centers: almost 25% fewer birth control pill packs were dispensed, visits for IUDs and other long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) dropped by 26%, breast exam visits fell by 20%, and STI testing declined by 10%.
• A Backdoor Abortion Ban
  • The majority (64%) of Planned Parenthood health center closures were in states where abortion is legal. The shuttered health centers served 10,400 abortion patients annually.
  • Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and states began banning abortion, more than 220,000 abortion patients have traveled to Planned Parenthood health centers in other states to get care.
• Costs Shifted Onto States and Providers
  • Fourteen states publicly committed over $400 million in emergency funding to cover essential health care services for patients who use Medicaid insurance.
  • In states that did not make emergency funds available to cover costs for Medicaid patients at Planned Parenthood health centers, or that only partially covered the cost of providing care, health centers closed at double the rate compared to states that fully covered the cost of care taken away by "defunding."
• Despite Attacks, Access to Care Preserved & Expanded
  • Local Planned Parenthood organizations are expanding access to telehealth services. Telehealth care is available in all areas where a health center has been forced to close. Using Planned Parenthood Direct, local Planned Parenthood organizations offered telehealth in three new states: Alabama, Louisiana, and New Hampshire, and expanded telehealth medication abortion in six additional states.
  • New health centers opened in two key states - Colorado and Virginia - since the "defund" law was signed.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

"By deliberately targeting Planned Parenthood, President Trump and his allies in Congress worsened a public health crisis, making it harder for people to get the essential and lifesaving care they needed at their trusted provider.

"Still, anti-abortion lawmakers are trying to make 'defund' permanent because Planned Parenthood health centers provide abortion care where it's legal. They are willing to sacrifice the lives and health of people across the country if it gets them closer to their goal of banning abortion everywhere and shutting down Planned Parenthood.

"We're in a fight for survival - not just for Planned Parenthood health centers, but for everyone to get high-quality, affordable health care from their trusted provider. And know this: Planned Parenthood will never stop fighting to ensure everyone can get the care they need."

For more information, read the report here.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With around 550 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and advocacy activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.