Planned Parenthood of Illinois Will Close 4 Clinics That Offered Medication Abortion

The affiliate said the influx of patients traveling to the state post-Dobbs and more patients needing financial assistance contributed to the decision.

By Susan Rinkunas | January 22, 2025 | 4:46pm

Photo: Getty Images Abortion Politics

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Will Close 4 Clinics That Offered Medication Abortion

On Wednesday, the would-be 52nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced that it would shutter four abortion clinics and lay off health center staff as it faces a “financial shortfall.” The affiliate said the budget crunch was caused by an influx of traveling patients, rising costs of care, and inadequate insurance reimbursement. They also cited an “uncertain patient care landscape under a new national political administration.”

In news that may or may not be related, PPIL’s president and CEO Jennifer Welch stepped down on January 8. The organization’s chief financial officer is serving as interim CEO as they conduct a national search for a new leader.

Most Popular

The clinics set to halt care in March—located in Bloomington, Decatur, Ottawa, and Englewood in Chicago—offered medication abortion alongside birth control, STI testing, gender-affirming care, and other health services. They did not offer procedural abortions. PPIL said in a press release that it would continue to serve patients at 13 clinics across the state, and planned to expand appointment availability at health centers in Champaign, Peoria, Roseland, and Springfield. Starting in February, the affiliate will also offer telemedicine prescriptions for medication abortion through the PPDirect app and patients can either receive the pills by mail or pick them up in person.

Illinois abortion clinics have seen a huge jump in patients since the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Illinois has seen the biggest volume of patients coming from other states: More than 37,000 people traveled there for care in 2023, compared to 8,500 in 2019. PPIL said in June 2024 that out-of-state patients made up nearly 25% of their abortion patients, compared to about 5% before Dobbs. And financial assistance for patients in need had basically doubled, from about $250 per patient to almost $500 per patient.

Then, in July 2024, the National Abortion Federation put strict caps on patient funding, a change that threw the abortion access ecosystem into crisis.

The release announcing the closures cited not just an uptick in patients, but specifically an “increase in patient volume needing financial assistance.” It added that the “increase in patient volume, coupled with low reimbursement rates from insurers and rising costs of providing care has resulted in PPIL needing to realign its health centers and staffing.”

Interim CEO Tonya Tucker said in a statement that the organization did make plans for a surge in patients. (PPIL opened a new clinic in Carbondale near the borders of Kentucky and Tennessee, and opened and expanded other clinics in the years before Dobbs.) “However, rising care costs and lower reimbursement rates from insurers is jeopardizing PPIL’s sustainability,” Tucker said. “Unfortunately, this is the reality many other Planned Parenthood affiliates are facing in the rapidly evolving health care environment. We are making the difficult decisions today so we can continue providing care tomorrow and well into the future.”

Jezebel contacted PPIL for comment on the departure of the CEO, how many jobs will be lost, the impact of the NAF funding cuts, and more details on insurance reimbursement rates, but a spokesperson declined to comment.

There is an active lawsuit filed by three Republican Attorneys General seeking to end telemedicine prescription of mifepristone. Planned Parenthood Federation of America previously told Jezebel that it was prepared to switch to misoprostol-only medication abortions if necessary. The PPIL spokesperson did confirm that the affiliate would move to offer misoprostol abortions if needed.

Megan Jeyifo, executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, said in a statement that the organization recognizes both the immense responsibility and financial strain facing abortion providers and funds in the state fielding the highest increase in abortions nationwide. They will continue partnering with Planned Parenthood of Illinois and independent clinics in the region.

“Illinois remains a critical national access point for abortion care, and CAF remains a resource for people facing barriers to this time-sensitive, essential healthcare in our state, no matter where they call home,” Jeyifo said. “Now and in the coming months, our Helpline Team is on standby to ensure that everyone, including people in communities facing clinic closures, can access abortion care on the timeline and at the location that works best for them.”