**Planned Parenthood Shutters Louisiana Clinics Amid Mounting Challenges**
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Planned Parenthood announced on Tuesday that it has closed its two clinics in Louisiana, citing escalating financial and political difficulties that have made operating in the state unsustainable after more than 40 years of service. With these closures, Louisiana becomes the most populous of only four states without any Planned Parenthood locations.
The organization highlighted the broader challenges it faces nationwide, particularly in light of Medicaid funding cuts included in President Donald Trump’s recent tax and spending bill. These cuts threaten the viability of many Planned Parenthood clinics across the country.
The group is also ceasing its advocacy efforts within Louisiana, where Republican state leaders have publicly supported the closures.
**Political Pressure Forces Closure**
“These closures were not the result of a lack of need but rather the outcome of relentless political assaults that have made it impossible for us to continue operating sustainably in Louisiana,” said Melaney Linton, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.
Supporters warn that the clinic shutdowns will have a negative impact on Louisiana residents. Although Planned Parenthood has never been licensed to perform abortions in the state, the clinics provided other vital medical services to nearly 11,000 patients last year at their Baton Rouge and New Orleans locations.
**Strained Reproductive Healthcare in Louisiana**
Medical professionals and advocates fear that Planned Parenthood’s exit will further strain reproductive healthcare in a state already grappling with significant challenges. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that Louisiana has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the United States.
Moreover, a March report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office underscored the state’s acute shortage of OB-GYN specialists and the presence of “healthcare deserts” across Louisiana.
**Nationwide Impact of Medicaid Funding Cuts**
Under the new federal spending and tax plan, Medicaid is instructed to cease payments for one year to certain abortion providers. While Planned Parenthood is actively seeking to restore its funding through legal channels, officials warn that approximately one-third of the organization’s roughly 600 clinics nationwide could be forced to shut their doors.
Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood closed five clinics in California, and eight in Iowa and Minnesota. More recently, Wisconsin’s affiliate announced it would stop providing abortions, while Arizona’s affiliate announced it would halt Medicaid-funded services.
With the Louisiana closures, the organization is now absent from just four states: Louisiana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Mississippi.
“This is a win for babies, a win for mothers, and a win for LIFE!” declared Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, in a social media post on Tuesday.
**High Medicaid Patient Numbers in Louisiana**
Planned Parenthood offers a wide range of services beyond abortion, including cancer screenings and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment. While federal Medicaid funding has never covered abortion services, Planned Parenthood affiliates have depended on Medicaid reimbursements to sustain their other medical services.
In Louisiana, where poverty rates are among the highest in the nation, about 60% of Planned Parenthood patients relied on Medicaid. Last year, the clinics in Louisiana conducted nearly 30,000 sexually transmitted infection tests, 14,400 birth control visits, 1,800 cancer screenings, and 655 ultrasounds.
**Personal Story Highlights Importance of Services**
Nearly a decade ago, Jordyn Martin turned to Planned Parenthood when she could not afford medical care elsewhere. While at the clinic, a doctor offered her a free HIV test. A week later, she was diagnosed with the virus.
“Planned Parenthood saved my life,” Martin said. She has since become a volunteer with the organization.
**Connecting Patients with New Providers**
Outside the New Orleans Planned Parenthood clinic on Tuesday, several community members gathered to express their gratitude, bringing thank-you notes to the staff who have served Louisiana for four decades.
Inside the clinic, staff continued working until closing time to connect patients with alternative healthcare providers. Starting Wednesday, calls to Louisiana Planned Parenthood numbers will be redirected to the nearest clinics in Texas or Arkansas.
Michelle Erenberg, head of LIFT, a New Orleans-based abortion rights group, said many people have reached out to her seeking help locating new clinics. She emphasized the importance of connecting patients with providers but expressed concern about the increased strain this will place on clinics that are already understaffed.
“Whether patients are going to be able to get appointments quickly, or access all of the services that Planned Parenthood provided, is unknown at this point,” she said.
https://ktar.com/national-news/planned-parenthood-closes-louisiana-clinics-after-40-years-due-to-financial-and-political-pressure/5756561/
