Planned Parenthood Arizona (PPAZ) announced on Sept. 29 that as of Oct. 1 it can’t accept patients who rely on the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the state’s Medicaid agency.
The decision by Planned Parenthood comes after Trump and Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” was passed, which allows states to withhold Medicaid funding from abortion providers. Legally, Medicaid can not pay for abortion. Still, Arizonans with Medicaid will no longer be able to get even basic care at Planned Parenthood Arizona.
“Following anti-health care extremists in Congress passing Trump’s H.R. 1, it was Planned Parenthood Arizona’s hope that we would be able to continue to serve all of our patients,” Planned Parenthood Arizona Interim President and CEO April Donovan said in a statement.
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“This callous effort by politicians to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood is an unconstitutional act that is now eliminating critical care from Arizona’s most vulnerable patients — namely, STI and cancer screenings and treatment, birth control, and other family planning services,” she added.
Arizona’s entire Republican congressional delegation voted for the “Big Beautiful Bill,” while the entire Democratic congressional delegation voted against it, including Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, as well as Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), and Greg Stanton (AZ-04).
Here’s who voted for the bill:
- AZ-01 Rep. David Schweikert (Scottsdale)
- AZ-02 Rep. Eli Crane (Flagstaff)
- AZ-05 Rep. Andy Biggs (Mesa)
- AZ-06 Rep. Juan Ciscomani (Tucson)
- AZ-08 Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (Peoria)
- AZ-09 Rep. Paul Gosar (Mohave, La Paz, Yuma, Maricopa counties)
Both Schweikert and Biggs are running for governor in 2026.
WATCH: As Schweikert runs for governor, check his record
Over 16 million women of reproductive age are covered by Medicaid, which is the largest single payer of maternity care in the US, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Medicaid covers over 40% of US births.
PPAZ said it will not be closing any of its seven health centers despite no longer accepting Medicaid. PPAZ has locations in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Glendale, Mesa, Tucson, and Tempe and advises Arizonans looking for more information on service options and health insurance coverage to call 1-800-230-7526 for help.
Arizonans in rural areas, mostly the northern part of the state, will struggle to find places that provide reproductive care. Six counties in Arizona have fewer than one OB-GYN per 10,000 women. As of 2023, Greenlee County had zero hospitals and birthing centers that offered obstetric care.
“Every Arizonan, no matter where they live, what kind of care they need, or how much money they have, should be able to get high-quality, affordable health care,” Donovan said.
