Expert warns Planned Parenthood abortion pause will lead to more out-of-state, pill-based abortions

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In less than a week, Planned Parenthood will pause its abortion appointments in Wisconsin. Once that happens, one expert said it will lead to more Wisconsinites seeking abortions out-of-state, ordering abortion-inducing pills or carrying pregnancies to term against their will.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said in a statement Wednesday its decision to pause abortion services starting October 1 was due to a provision in the federal budget written in a way that targeted the organization, based on its size and the amount of federal aid it receives.

That provision cuts Medicaid funding to the organization if it continues to provide abortions. Planned Parenthood also provides other healthcare services, such as cancer screenings and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

"This terrible decision between offering abortion care or receiving Medicaid reimbursement for other services is a decision that, ultimately, is going to affect patients," Dr. Jenny Higgins, director of the University of Wisconsin Collaborative for Reproductive Equity. "It's a decision that no healthcare system should have to make."

Higgins said data on abortions performed last year offer a window into what will likely happen if Planned Parenthood's pause continues for an extended period of time. A report the collaborative published last month found out of more 10,610 abortions provided to Wisconsinites in 2024, 4,430 were performed at Wisconsin clinics. 

The largest of those clinics is Planned Parenthood, which has locations in Milwaukee, Madison and Sheboygan. With the pause, the only abortion providers still active in the state will be Affiliated Medical Services and Care for All, both located in Milwaukee.

Higgins noted the share of Wisconsinites' abortions performed out-of-state has continued to rise, even after Planned Parenthood resumed abortion services in September 2023 following a 15-month pause after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned federal abortion rights guaranteed under the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Prior to the Dobbs ruling, the UW collaborative found 18% of Wisconsinites' abortions were performed out-of-state. In 2024, that share had increased to 38%.

"Over a third of abortions two Wisconsinites took place across state lines," Higgins said. "So, we can only imagine that number will go up quite a bit."

Another 2,210 abortions were provided through pills pregnant women could order from out-of-state clinics through shield laws. Higgins also noted that separate studies have found birthrate increases in counties after nearby abortion clinics closed.

Pro-life groups, of course, support the federal budget provision. While it's already illegal for federal dollars to fund abortions, Gracie Skogman, the legislative director for Wisconsin Right to Life, said as long as Planned Parenthood performs abortions, it should not receive federal funding, regardless of any other healthcare services it provides.

"Ultimately, it's going to be going toward the operational structure of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin," Skogman said. "And so, even if it's not directly tied to abortions, we're still going to have great concerns with that."

Both Planned Parenthood and a group of Democratic attorneys general have filed separate lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the budget provision. A federal judge had issued an injunction this summer blocking the provision from taking effect, but an appeals court earlier this month put a hold on that order. 

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in an interview Thursday he was hopeful the courts will eventually side with Democrats and Planned Parenthood, but he maintained the real responsibility rests with Congressional Republicans who passed the budget.

"Obviously, I hope our litigation is successful. We'll see how that unfolds in the courts," Kaul said. "In terms of Congress, though, of course the Congress that's there now is the Congress that passed this bill and put these restrictions in place, but I hope that now that they are seeing the harm that's coming from the bill they passed."

Wisconsin's Congressional Democrats, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Gwen Moore both issued statements decrying the budget provision. The offices of both lawmakers said they were unavailable for interviews Thursday.

CBS 58 reached out to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and the three GOP members of Congress whose districts include parts of southeastern Wisconsin. 

A spokesperson for Rep. Bryan Steil said he was unavailable for an interview. The offices of Rep. Glenn Grothman and Scott Fitzgerald did not respond to messages to Thursday.

A White House spokesperson for regional communications also did not respond to messages.