Healthcare

Washington Post - Maine Family Planning lost Medicaid funding in July as a result of President Donald Trump signing his One Big Beautiful Bill. Tucked in the tax package was a ban on Medicaid funding for health care providers that perform abortion services and receive more than $800,000 a year in Medicaid payments. Critics have claimed the measure was written to cripple Planned Parenthood, the country’s largest abortion provider. It also swept up Maine Family Planning.

Both groups provide abortion, but they bill Medicaid to offer their patients birth control, prenatal care, cancer screenings, STI treatment and other services free or at a significantly reduced cost. Medicaid funding cannot be used to pay for abortions except in rare cases such as rape and incest.

Without that funding, Maine Family Planning decided to shut down its primary care services as of Friday.

The group’s clinics will continue providing abortions and other family planning and reproductive services using state and federal grants, fundraising and private donations.