Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will pause scheduling abortion appointments starting Oct. 1 following a federal appeals court decision that allowed a provision of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill to take effect.
The temporary hold affects the organization’s ability to serve patients after the court permitted a provision that bars clinics providing abortions from accepting Medicaid for other reproductive services.
WATCH: Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin pauses abortion appointments starting October 1
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin serves about 50,000 people across the state, with 60% of those patients covered by Medicaid. The funding restriction creates a significant impact on the organization’s operations and patient access.
The organization said it is working through the courts to resume services as soon as possible. The pause represents a direct result of the federal policy change that separates abortion services from other reproductive health care funding streams.
You can read their full statement below, posted to their Facebook page:
"Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is — and always will be — focused on putting our patients first. Our commitment is unwavering: Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will continue to provide the full spectrum of reproductive health care — including abortion — as soon as we are able to. In the meantime, we are pursuing every available option — through the courts, through operations, and civic engagement."
Ali Kliegman, executive director and co-founder of Care for All in Milwaukee, says their team is prepared for an influx of patients seeking abortions. Care for All is one of two clinics in Wisconsin left to provide this care. Kleigman stated that they received referrals Thursday morning.
“We're working together to help them out with any clients who were scheduled...and aren't going to be able to get in for the actual procedure or to get their pills in time. We're going to take those referrals and moving forward," Kliegman explained.
Care for All provides abortion care and other reproductive health services at little or no cost. Kliegman told TMJ4 she has alerted funding sources to the expected increased need.
"With abortion, nothing is ever settled. There are always things changing, and there's always lots of possibilities of things that can happen,” Kliegman said.
During a press conference in Illinois, providers and advocates stressed that their network is ready to support people in Wisconsin. They also noted the increase in Wisconsin patients when Roe v. Wade was overturned and before abortion access was reinstated.
Megan Jeyifo, executive director for the Chicago Abortion Fund, noted that the issue in her home state of Wisconsin is deeply personal.
"Wisconsin is where my family lives, where much of my community is, and where I myself had an abortion, I desperately needed at the age of 16. This news, like so much of the news, is not just political,” Jeyifo stated.
"We will welcome people from Wisconsin as long as needed. Across the Midwest and south, we carry this responsibility together," Jeyifo said.
TMJ4 News has reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for comment.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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