Iowa’s Planned Parenthood affiliate is closing four clinics. It says this move is the result of a new state law that prevents organizations that provide abortions from receiving family planning money from Medicaid.
The Burlington, Keokuk and Sioux City clinics will close on June 30. The Quad Cities facility in Bettendorf will remain open until the building is sold, though only telemed abortion services will be provided. All other types of appointments will cease at the end of June.
The organization says 14,676 patients will be affected. That’s based on the number of people who sought out healthcare from these four clinics in the past three years.
"We agonized for months about which centers might stay open or what might have to close," says Planned Parenthood of the Heartland President Suzanna de Baca. "A team of senior staff and board looked at many, many factors including mission considerations"
She says factors included patient need and access, community support and opposition, donor support, political environment and financial considerations.
As a result of these closings roughly 30 people will lose their jobs, and patients who had a clinic in their town will now have to drive over an hour to one of the eight remaining clinics if they want to continue receiving care from Planned Parenthood.