Planned Parenthood of Illinois says it will close health centers in Bloomington and three other cities as it faces financial challenges. Appointments will end in March.
Health centers in Bloomington, Ottawa, Decatur, and Englewood on Chicago’s South Side will close.
In a statement, the not-for-profit said it will add appointments to health clinics in Peoria, Champaign and cities near the other closures. It said expanded telehealth appointments and its app will minimize disruptions.
“Offering medication abortion through the PPDirect app allows patients to connect with us through their phone,” said Dr. Virgil Reid, interim chief medical officer. “This expands access because patients can receive the same great care they associate with Planned Parenthood from the comfort of wherever they are in the state.”
The group said costs for in-person health care are rising. The number of patients who need financial help is growing. The change in national administration makes the patient care landscape uncertain.
“Patient care is and will always be our number one priority,” said Tonya Tucker, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois [PPIL]. “We made plans for the patient surge, however rising care costs and lower reimbursement rates from insurers is jeopardizing PPIL’s sustainability. Unfortunately, this is the reality many other Planned Parenthood affiliates are facing in the rapidly evolving health care environment. We are making the difficult decisions today so we can continue providing care tomorrow and well into the future.”
Planned Parenthood said it needs to create a sustainable future after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022. Since then Planned Parenthood said it has seen a 47% increase in overall abortion care patients in Illinois. An unprecedented number of out-of-state patients traveling from more than 40 other states now make up nearly a quarter of the overall number of abortion patients. That’s up from 3-5% before the Dobbs decision.
Planned Parenthood said that increase in patient volume, coupled with low reimbursement rates from insurers, adds to the need to realign health centers and staffing. Planned Parenthood said it also will reduce administrative staff proportionally.
Where possible, displaced health center staff will be offered comparable positions at other locations or transitioned to telehealth.
None of the health centers slated for closure offer abortion procedures.