Arizonans on Medicaid will no longer be able to access Planned Parenthood clinics for services such as STI testing and cancer screenings after a new federal restriction takes effect this week.
The change stems from President Trump‘s fiscal plan, which bars abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funds for one year if they performed abortions and received more than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023. While the legislation does not name Planned Parenthood directly, it is widely seen as an effort to defund the organization.
April Donovan, interim president of Planned Parenthood Arizona, warned the policy will disproportionately harm marginalized communities. “The people who will be most hurt…are those who already face hurdles to getting the care they need: Black and Latino communities, LGBTQ+ people, people who live in rural or medically underserved areas, and people who have low incomes,” she said.
Planned Parenthood runs seven clinics across Arizona, four of which provide abortion services. About 1.9 million Arizonans—one in four residents—receive care through the state’s Medicaid program, AHCCCS. The organization estimates the federal prohibition could lead to the closure of up to 200 clinics nationwide, affecting more than 1.1 million Medicaid patients.
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