Ending Primary Care

The largest network of family planning clinics in Maine will end its primary care practice after its Medicaid funding was cut off by the Trump administration because it offers abortion care

The largest reproductive health network in Maine will close its primary care practice tomorrow, hurting an already overstretched healthcare system in one of the most rural states. The Trump Administration revoked Medicaid funding for Maine Family Planning and Planned Parenthood in the so-called “big beautiful bill” earlier this year because they provide abortion in addition to other vital services like STI testing, cancer screenings, and birth control. MFP, which operates 18 clinics across the state, will still provide family planning and reproductive health services, but the continued withholding of Medicaid funding may jeopardize those operations as well in the future.  

Half of MFP’s patients, many of whom live in rural areas, rely on Medicaid coverage – MFP typically receives about $1.9 million in Medicaid reimbursements each year. On September 30, MFP notified its patients that it would close its primary care practices – located in Presque Isle, Houlton, and Ellsworth, Maine – at the end of the month. Last year, MFP saw over 600 patients in its primary care practice – patients who will now need to go elsewhere.   

An ongoing lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights seeks to restore MFP’s Medicaid funding. Unless a court orders the Trump Administration to restore the funding, other MFP services could be disrupted, complicating access to care in a state where health care providers are already few and far between.   

“Everyone should be able to see the healthcare provider of their choice,” said George Hill, President & CEO of Maine Family Planning. “That’s no longer the case for many of our patients, some of whom have been seeing our doctors and nurses for years. Telling those patients we can’t see them anymore has been devastating, especially knowing that some of them will find it too difficult to get a new provider and may just forego care. While we wait for answers from the court, one thing is clear – the loss of this funding has already caused irreparable damage to our clinics and our community. Despite the loss of Medicaid funding for any service provided by MFP, we continue to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of all Medicaid-insured patients. MFP will continue to provide that care for as long as we can.”  

“In their effort to shutdown abortion clinics, the Trump Administration is making it harder for all Mainers to get primary care,” said Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Forget promises of leaving abortion to the states—this is all part of a larger strategy to shut down clinics even in states like Maine that protect the right to abortion. We will keep fighting to make sure all Mainers – no matter where they live or what insurance they have – can access the healthcare they need from the provider they trust.”  

 Around 8,000 patients receive family planning and primary care at Maine Family Planning’s 18 clinics and mobile unit every year, and tens of thousands of additional patients receive care through MFP’s subcontracts at other clinics across the state. MFP relied on Medicaid to cover the cost of services for low-income patients, many of whom have no other accessible health care provider. Many of MFP’s clinics provide care in very rural areas of the state where there are no other healthcare providers, and around 70% of their patients rely exclusively on MFP and will not see any other healthcare provider in a given year. 

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MEDIA CONTACTS  

Center for Reproductive Rights: [email protected] 

 Maine Family Planning:  [email protected]  (Kat Mavengere)