Planned Parenthood will cease operations at its two clinics in Louisiana, located in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, effective September 30, 2025. The closures are a direct consequence of federal funding challenges stemming from a provision within President Trump’s tax and spending package, as reported by The Hill. This measure bars non-profit organizations that offer abortions and received over $800,000 in federal funding in 2023 from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for one year.
Melaney Linton, President of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, stated that these closures are a "direct result of relentless political assaults." She emphasized that lawmakers have actively worked to "defund" the organization and dismantle public health infrastructure. "Every health center closure, every patient who goes without care, every undetected cancer and untreated infection is on those lawmakers’ hands," Linton asserted.
The Louisiana clinics, which have operated for over 40 years, provided essential reproductive and primary healthcare services, including birth control, cancer screenings, and sexually transmitted infection testing, to more than 10,600 patients annually. While these facilities were not licensed to perform abortions within Louisiana, they assisted patients in accessing out-of-state abortion services.
The announcement was met with approval by some state officials. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) described the clinic closures as "welcome news" on social media. Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, added, "Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry are leaving Louisiana. But the pro-life movement is here to stay. We will always love and serve both mom and baby."
Planned Parenthood estimates that the federal funding cuts could jeopardize up to 200 clinics nationwide, with a significant portion located in states where abortion remains legal. The organization is engaged in ongoing legal battles against these measures, arguing that the withholding of Medicaid funding will have "dire and compounding" consequences on public health.