Trump’s tax bill defunded abortion providers. Planned Parenthood is fighting back

Planned Parenthood centers in California are facing an existential threat after the passage of President Donald Trump’s new federal budget, which includes a provision that slashes federal funding for certain healthcare nonprofits.

Under the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, healthcare providers that offer abortions are under a one-year prohibition from federal Medicaid funding. Organizers with Planned Parenthood, one of several organizations that could see their funding slashed, are blasting the provision as a “backdoor abortion ban.”

“Existing law already prohibits federal dollars from paying for abortion care,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “By attacking Planned Parenthood health centers’ ability to provide the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare services, they aim to decimate abortion access in states like California where it is legal and a constitutional right.”

Votes for the bills fell largely along party lines, with the exception of two Republican representatives who sided with Democrats to vote against Trump’s budget proposal. Nine California Republicans, including Rep. David Valadao, R-Bakersfield, were among those who voted in its favor.

More than 80% of Planned Parenthood patients in the state rely on Medi-Cal programs for healthcare access, according to the organization. Planned Parenthood health centers provide a multitude of services ranging from STI testing and family planning to cancer screening and routine healthcare.

An exam room at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties’ health center.

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Courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties

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Christian Garcia, vice president of government relations with Planned Parenthood Northern California, said it’s likely that rural communities will be the most affected if the nonprofit is forced to reduce its services. In cities such as Redding, Eureka and Chico, Planned Parenthood is often the only reproductive healthcare provider within a three-hour radius, he noted.

“These are also communities who have lost community hospitals … who now have private hospitals that are religiously associated and are already making it difficult for [patients] to get primary sexual reproductive healthcare services,” Garcia said. “In the scenario that funding is not accessible, you’re going to see more healthcare deserts across California.”

Planned Parenthood affiliates in California could lose more than $300 million if the organization’s federal funding is slashed, Garcia said. He added that while the nonprofit still has access to the state’s critical reproductive healthcare investment, it won’t be enough to make up for the massive loss.

In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom lambasted Trump’s tax and spending legislation as a “massive tax break for the wealthiest Americans.” The bill’s passage jeopardizes taxpayer jobs, family support through Medicaid, public safety infrastructure and other critical programs across the country and state, Newsom said.

He said the cuts to Planned Parenthood would affect more than 1 million patients and force nearly 200 health centers to close.

“This bill is a tragedy for the American people, and a complete moral failure,” Newsom said. “With this measure, [Trump’s] legacy is now forever cemented: He has created a more unequal, more indebted and more dangerous America. Shame on him.”

Garcia said Planned Parenthood is prepared to fight back. On Monday, the nonprofit filed a complaint against the Trump administration in federal court, calling the provision that would cut Medicaid funding for certain healthcare nonprofits “unconstitutional” and an attack on the organization’s centers.

The nonprofit is also meeting with state and local partners to ensure that California residents continue to have access to its full complement of services, especially in rural areas where patients are the most vulnerable. As of now, there are no plans to shut down any Planned Parenthood centers and patients can still come in and expect the same level of care, he said.

“It’s important for people to know that their healthcare services are still here,” Garcia said. “Whether you’re a Medicaid patient — whether you’re a Planned Parenthood patient who is on Medicaid — we are here and we’re going to provide services.”

KQED’s Laura Klivans contributed to this report.