CW: Reproductive Healthcare
A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the growing impact of recent Medicaid cuts on disabled patients who rely on Planned Parenthood for primary care. While public debate often centers on Planned Parenthood’s reproductive services, the organization also serves as a crucial source of general medical care for thousands of people, especially those who are low-income or disabled.
One patient who is affected by the closures is Cameron Cox, a 31-year-old man with cerebral palsy living in Santa Cruz, California. For years, Cameron received his primary care through Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country. His care included routine bloodwork, chronic condition management, and wellness visits.
When the Santa Cruz clinic closed in May due to new federal funding restrictions, Cameron lost access to his trusted care team. Since then, he has struggled to find a doctor who will accept his Medi-Cal insurance, putting his health at risk.
These closures are the result of a recent federal law that significantly reduces Medicaid reimbursements for care provided at Planned Parenthood facilities. While Medicaid does not cover abortion services, this policy goes further by cutting funding for non-abortion care as well.
As a result, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte shut down five health centers in Northern California, disrupting care for an estimated 22,000 patients. The situation is especially concerning for disabled patients, who often face challenges finding doctors equipped to meet their needs or willing to accept Medicaid.
Cameron’s case is not isolated. Many disabled people depend on Planned Parenthood for primary care. Other providers often turn them away or place them on long waiting lists due to the specialized care they require or low reimbursement rates.
A recent population-based study published in The Official Journal of the American Association on Health and Disability further underscores why these closures are so alarming. The study found that disabled pregnant women who lacked a regular source of primary care were significantly more likely to receive inadequate, delayed, or no prenatal care at all. This lack of continuity is especially harmful for patients facing both medical complexity and social barriers, which is precisely the population being impacted by these clinic closures.
State officials have claimed that disabled patients will not be affected by the funding cuts. Unfortunately, stories like Cameron’s suggest otherwise. Advocates warn that thousands of patients across California and beyond are now at risk of losing access to essential healthcare.
Planned Parenthood has filed lawsuits in federal court to challenge the reimbursement cuts and has received some temporary relief. However, the long-term legal outcome remains uncertain. This funding crisis is part of a broader national trend in which access to healthcare is being restricted through policy, litigation, and political maneuvering.
As services disappear, the people most affected are often those with the least ability to navigate a fragmented and underfunded healthcare system. Disability rights and reproductive justice advocates have long emphasized the importance of accessible, comprehensive healthcare. The closure of these clinics threatens not only reproductive freedom but also the basic right to healthcare for disabled people.
For individuals like Cameron, these decisions are not theoretical or distant. They are deeply personal, with immediate and potentially life-threatening consequences. The situation calls for a more complete understanding of what Planned Parenthood provides, and those who depend on its services.
For many people like Cameron, it is their only option for consistent, affordable care. Losing that care is not just a policy issue. It is a health emergency that is already happening.
Sources:
DiNatale, Sara. “He Relied on Planned Parenthood for Primary Care. Now Trump Cuts Leave Him Doctorless.” San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Communications, 28 July 2025, www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/planned-parenthood-disabled-20786785.php.
DiNatale, Sara, and Garofoli, Joe. “Planned Parenthood Closes 5 Northern California Clinics, Citing Trump Budget Cuts.” San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Communications, 25 July 2025, www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/planned-parenthood-closures-20785278.php.
Fletcher, Jordan, et al. ‘Centering Disability Visibility in Reproductive Health Care: Dismantling Barriers to Achieve Reproductive Equity’. Women’s Health (London, England), vol. 19, Jan. 2023, p. 17455057231197166, https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231197166.
Nishat, Fareha, et al. ‘Continuity of Primary Care and Prenatal Care Adequacy among Women with Disabilities in Ontario: A Population-Based Cohort Study’. Disability and Health Journal, vol. 15, no. 3, July 2022, p. 101322, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2022.101322.
Sherman, Carter. “Judge Orders Trump Administration to Continue Medicaid Funding to Planned Parenthood.” The Guardian, Guardian News & Media, 28 July 2025, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/28/planned-parenthood-medicaid-ruling-trump.