PPWI Resumes Abortion Services Following Federal Budget Bill Reversal

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin revealed on Monday that it has restarted abortion services following a suspension that lasted nearly a month due to federal Medicaid cuts.

The halt occurred following the designation of Planned Parenthood as a “prohibited entity” in accordance with the stipulations of President Donald Trump’s federal budget legislation, referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The legislation prohibits Medicaid reimbursements to entities that offer abortion services and obtain over $800,000 in Medicaid funding each year.

Officials from PPWI announced that the organization has successfully resumed scheduling patients, as it is no longer classified as a prohibited entity. The shift followed the organization's decision to relinquish its federal designation as a provider of essential community services, a status typically granted to clinics serving mainly low-income individuals.

“Following a thorough evaluation, we’ve concluded that relinquishing ECP status enables us to maintain abortion care while safeguarding access to other vital health services,” stated PPWI CEO Tanya Atkinson.

Atkinson stated that relinquishing ECP status will enable the organization to restart Medicaid billing for reproductive health care while still offering services like cancer screenings, contraceptives, and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

During the service pause, access to abortion in Wisconsin faced significant restrictions. In Milwaukee, just two independent clinics still provide procedures, leaving substantial parts of the state, such as the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, without local access. PPWI’s Madison East Health Center is the sole clinic serving that area.

Abortions can be accessed at three locations: Madison, Milwaukee, and Sheboygan. The Sheboygan clinic specializes solely in medication abortions, whereas the other two facilities additionally offer surgical options.

A court filing from September 29 reveals that family planning providers have the option to keep their Medicaid reimbursements if they either cease providing abortion services or relinquish their ECP or tax-exempt status. Although the removal of ECP status could influence PPWI’s financial outlook in the long run, Atkinson indicated that the organization anticipates only a slight short-term effect on patients.

“Based on our extensive research and analysis, we anticipate minimal impact [from ECP status] on patient access,” she stated. “Should letting go of this affect our financial outcomes, we will need to assess what the next steps will be.”

In July, Planned Parenthood took legal action against the Trump Administration, resulting in a temporary injunction that halted the Medicaid restrictions until early fall. The lifting of the injunction in late September led to a temporary halt in abortion services, which remained in effect until this week's ruling.

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