CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — One of the provisions from the Big Beautiful Bill cuts federal spending to some reproductive health and family planning providers for a year, and these changes can bring some issues to reproductive health services in Iowa.
According to Erin Heisler Wagner, the Director of Strategic Communications at Planned Parenthood, 22% of Iowans who use Planned Parenthood services rely on Medicaid to access care like birth control, cancer screenings and STI tests.
“We know that this bill will impact some. Not everybody’s going to be able to find other resources,” Wagner said.
Wagner says there will be a domino effect, and people may have to choose between their health and their bills. She says the changes to social services like Medicaid might force people to make tough choices.
“We know that even with the ban on Planned Parenthood, there are ripple effects that happen when patients have to choose between paying their rent and going to health care because their insurance is no longer taken,” Wagner said. “They may make different choices for their health care and wait until those health care choices are more drastic and more life impacting.”
Medicaid already restricts payments for abortions except for cases of rape, incest or life endangering physical conditions caused by or arising from pregnancy. This bill’s one year funding limitations focus on other services like annual exams and screenings offered through clinics like Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood recently shut down four of its clinics in Iowa and according to a statement sent out by the organization in May, in the six months after the states near total abortion ban, abortion rates dropped 60%, while Iowans traveling to other states for these services increased by 239%.
When looking at how this will affect Iowans in the long run, Wagner says they have seen this happen before, and there wasn’t another provider that could fulfill the need.
“We know that there is no way for other health care providers to fill the gap of what will happen if Medicaid patients cannot turn to Planned Parenthood in Iowa specifically, we’ve seen this happen,” Wagner said. “There weren’t enough providers and enough support for patients to continue that care. STI rates increased, unintended pregnancies increased, and the percentage of Iowans using the state’s family planning program decreased by 83%.”
For Iowans that are seeking the services provided by Planned Parenthood, Wagner wants to remind them they still have options.
“If you have an appointment, keep it. And if you’re looking to schedule an appointment, please call your local Planned Parenthood and we will talk through your options with you,” Wagner said.
Although the physical clinic in Cedar Rapids is closed, the health center still provides telehealth services.
Meanwhile, the only open clinic in Eastern Iowa is in Iowa City on Orchard street, and it still accepts patients.