Health care advocates are growing increasingly alarmed about a budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration by Congress, fearing it could lead to the closure of two vital clinics in Alaska that provide abortions and other reproductive health services.
Rose O’Hara-Jolley, the Alaska director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, expressed that the bill, which has already been adopted by the U.S. House and received support from Alaska’s U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, could force the closure of approximately 200 Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, equating to about one-third of the organization’s facilities across the country.
“Alaska could be included in those closures,” O’Hara-Jolley warned during a recent statement.
The availability of abortion services in Alaska is already limited, with Planned Parenthood operating clinics primarily in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Recent years have seen the unfortunate closure of other locations, including a clinic in Juneau last year, a Soldotna clinic in 2022, and a Sitka clinic more than a decade ago.
Dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” by Republican lawmakers, the budget reconciliation proposal aims to block Medicaid payments to health care providers performing abortions, which includes Planned Parenthood clinics.
Under existing federal regulations, abortion procedures are generally ineligible for federal funding, except in specific circumstances. However, the Republican-backed measures in the bill intend to eliminate all Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood for a range of health services, including cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease testing, and access to birth control and vasectomies.
In Alaska, one-third of the more than 7,000 Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid for their care, according to O’Hara-Jolley. The potential loss of these patients due to the proposed cuts could jeopardize the stability and operation of Planned Parenthood facilities in the state.
In addition to reducing abortion access, the potential closure of these clinics poses the risk of limiting crucial health services that are available in Anchorage and Fairbanks, such as cancer screenings and family planning resources.
Alaska is currently facing a significant shortage of medical providers, leading to long waiting times at various clinics throughout the state. Many providers are reluctant to accept Medicaid patients, citing that the reimbursement rates are lower than those offered by private insurers.
Ada Goodman, health center manager for the Anchorage Planned Parenthood clinic, highlighted the urgency of the situation by pointing out that their clinic provides same-day appointments for critical services that typically require extended waiting periods elsewhere.
“When calling around to other clinics, patients have been told that either their offices are not accepting Medicaid, or there is a two- to four-week wait to be seen,” said Goodman.
She further noted, “The only other option for these patients is to go to the emergency department, which can cost the state many times over what a visit to Planned Parenthood would.”
This ongoing legislative push represents yet another chapter in a longstanding campaign by congressional Republicans to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood and abortion service providers nationwide.
The proposed budget reconciliation bill is seeking to implement extensive cuts to Medicaid, which would partially fund an extension of tax cuts favored by President Donald Trump. However, according to nonpartisan budget analysts, the bill could still increase the federal deficit by trillions of dollars.
As the legislation advances to the U.S. Senate, significant changes are anticipated. Alaska’s Republican U.S. Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, have both demonstrated hesitance regarding the proposed Medicaid cuts included in the House version of the bill, particularly with regard to imposing new work requirements on Medicaid recipients.
While Murkowski is opposed to cutting Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid reimbursements, Sullivan’s stance diverges. According to Sullivan’s spokesperson, Amanda Coyne, he believes that no government funding should be directed toward Planned Parenthood.
The spokesperson added that Sullivan is working to ensure that federally qualified community health centers “continue to provide women’s health services,” but has not clarified whether these centers would be able to absorb the patient load if the Anchorage or Fairbanks Planned Parenthood clinics were to close.
In contrast, Murkowski has continually advocated for Planned Parenthood and women’s reproductive rights. According to her spokesperson, Joe Plesha, she is aware of Alaska’s struggle with limited healthcare options, particularly for family planning services, and understands that diminishing these options would not lead to improved health outcomes.
Murkowski has been recognized as one of the few Republicans in Congress who has consistently supported Planned Parenthood. In 2011, she labeled the services offered by the organization as “vital,” when House Republicans sought to cut federal funding.
Her advocacy continued in 2018 when she expressed concern over the Trump administration’s initiatives to restrict federal funding for abortion providers, stating that such changes would limit critical access to healthcare services.
Historically, Trump’s first term included modifications to Title X, a federal funding program designed to support clinics providing family planning services to low-income individuals. The revisions enacted in 2018 disallowed funding for any clinics that offered abortion services or referrals.
As Congress debates the future of the budget reconciliation bill, health care advocates and providers in Alaska remain vigilant, understanding that the outcomes could significantly reshape access to reproductive health care across the state.
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