IL may boost abortion funding if federal support is cut, concerns rise
[July 10, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – After a new federal law cut Medicaid funding for
most abortion providers, Planned Parenthood of Illinois warns nearly
30,000 low-income patients could lose care. Critics say abortions won’t
stop, they’ll just shift to the mailbox.
A provision in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act aims
to cut Medicaid funding to clinics that provide abortion services.
Cristina Villarreal of Planned Parenthood Illinois said 40% of PPIL’s
patients rely on it for services like birth control, STI treatment,
prenatal care and more.
“Planned Parenthood of Illinois continues to serve all our patients,
including Medicaid recipients,” Villarreal told The Center Square. “If
PPIL goes without Medicaid reimbursements in the future, PPIL may be
forced to close more health centers – leaving people without access to
the essential health care they need and deserve.”
David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, said
Planned Parenthood has already closed down a couple of its clinics in
Illinois in anticipation of losing federal taxpayer funds.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more abortion clinics close. I
believe abortion advocates will increasingly push the abortion pill,
which now accounts for 70 to 80% of all abortions in the U.S.,” said
Smith. “They can just mail it—FedEx, UPS, whatever—to various addresses,
and that’s highly risky.”
Smith said the abortion industry isn’t slowing down, it’s shifting to
abortion pills, which he warned are often taken without medical
supervision, especially later in pregnancy, posing serious risks.
“Our Illinois Democrats made it easier to distribute these pills,” he
said, referencing state legislation that, he said, defers to World
Health Organization standards over FDA guidance. “They’ve even mandated
access to abortion pills on all public college campuses.”
PPIL said it remains optimistic that a lawsuit filed by its national
affiliate, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, will eventually
allow it to resume billing Medicaid for family planning services.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the provision in the federal law
Trump signed aimed to cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The
injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani on July 7,
2025, halts the provision's enforcement for 14 days, until July 21,
2025.
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Some worry that federal defunding of Planned Parenthood could prompt
states like Illinois to double down by boosting state funding to
offset the loss.
Asked whether the state might ramp up its own funding to offset any
federal cuts, Smith said Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is likely to do
whatever it takes to sustain abortion access in the state,
especially if he has future political ambitions.
“Governor Pritzker has a big PAC designed to help abortion-minded
candidates get elected. Abortion is near and dear to his heart,”
Smith said. “If he’s going to run for president in a year or two,
he’s going to want to pander to the pro-choice base.”
Villarreal confirmed PPIL has already developed contingency plans to
ensure Medicaid recipients continue receiving care with “little to
no disruption” in the short term.
“If PPIL is forced to make cuts, it will dramatically affect people
already facing barriers to care – people who live in rural areas,
people living in poverty, people of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ+
community, young people and students,” said Villarreal .
Smith explained that Pritzker could leverage private foundations,
state legislation and even targeted taxes to continue funding
abortion-related services.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he proposed taxing something like
delivery services to subsidize reproductive healthcare,” Smith said.
According to an analysis by the Charlotte Lozier Institute of
Planned Parenthood’s 2023–2024 annual report, the organization
received roughly $792.2 million in government reimbursements and
grants, making up about 39% of its total revenue. Most of this
funding is provided through Medicaid reimbursements.
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