Planned Parenthood is closing three clinics in northern California as public money in the state continues to tighten.
The country's largest abortion provider is receiving lower rates of Medicaid reimbursement because of cuts to the state's Medi-Cal program, the Sacramento Bee reports. Obamacare's Medicaid expansion led to a large amount of new enrollees in the state, stretching available funding. Planned Parenthood relied on those state dollars to continue providing its services.
"For all of our centers, we really need that support on the state level," said Miriam Gerace, a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman.
Planned Parenthood Northern California also faces legal challenges while it looks for more funding from the government. The Senate Judiciary Committee referred Planned Parenthood Northern California to the Department of Justice for investigation regarding illegal sale of fetal tissue.
Amid the bad publicity, the organization has received support from local politicians.
"We've gotten great support from legislators in our service area," Gerace said. "Every elected official in our area has voiced support, but the funding needs to be there."
Director of Californians for Life Wynette Sills said that women were choosing to stay away from abortion clinics.
"As more Californians understand the humanity of the child in the womb, abortion rates continue to drop," Sills said. "There are fewer clients going to the nation's largest abortion provider."
Northern California's three closed clinics come in addition to 13 other Planned Parenthood closures this year. Nevertheless, Gerace maintains that the organization is simply making strategic changes.
"This is something that happens all the time—you look around, you see where you can adjust. We've been around for 100 years and we'll be around for 100 more," she said.