Planned Parenthood Closes Four Health Centers in New York Due to Financial Challenges

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) has announced the closure of four health centers in the state due to financial challenges, citing a combination of rising operating expenses and unreliable insurer reimbursements, among other factors. The closures are scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2024, pending approval by the New York State Department of Health.

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) has announced the closure of four health centers in the state due to financial challenges. The proposed closure of facilities in Goshen, Amsterdam, Cobleskill, and Staten Island is the result of "compounding financial and political challenges," according to a press release.

"By closing smaller or part-time sites, PPGNY can maximize resources to best deliver patient care throughout New York," the press release said.

Planned Parenthood Closes Four Health Centers in New York Due to Financial Challenges

Clinic closures are scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2024, pending approval by the New York State Department of Health. PPGNY will also temporarily pause deep sedation in Manhattan starting September 3.

Patients will still be able to access "local anesthesia and moderate sedation" for in-clinic abortion and IUD insertion and removal, the announcement said. Instead of outsourcing anesthesiology services, PPGNY will instead utilize in-house physicians and nurses to administer pain management to patients at its Manhattan facility.

Planned Parenthood Closes Four Health Centers in New York Due to Financial Challenges

"During this time of deep financial crisis, PPGNY simply cannot afford to contract anesthesiology services in Manhattan without sacrificing other essential patient services and community-centered programs throughout the state," the press release said. "Our physicians and nurses are committed to ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care using safe and effective minimal and moderate pain management options."

Planned Parenthood will also "temporarily pause deep sedation services" for pain management, which are used for late-term abortions at its Manhattan clinic, according to the press release. Because of this, the Manhattan location will now be unable to provide abortions "at over 20+ weeks gestation" and said that patients who need abortion later in pregnancy or need deep sedation will be referred to one of PPGNY's medical partners.

Planned Parenthood Closes Four Health Centers in New York Due to Financial Challenges

In the spring of 2024, PPGNY began a "strategic reconfiguring" of its operations, citing "failures in the U.S. health care system" and "unprecedented challenges." The organization says it has been forced to take "serious and immediate cost-saving measures and pursue long-term structural shifts."

PPGNY said challenges include growing operating expenses, unreliable insurer reimbursements, ongoing pandemic recovery, a hostile political landscape, and "a state budget that fell short of responding to the needs of sexual and reproductive health care providers."

PPGNY President and CEO, Wendy Stark, said the changes are "part of the overarching health care crisis in the United States."

"As a leading health care provider in an abortion and gender-affirming care access state, PPGNY is striving to meet the demands of today, tomorrow, and the future," she said. "We move into this next step understanding that the difficult decisions we are forced to make today are strategies to preserve our ability to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care in the long term amid ongoing fiscal and political challenges."

"We will continue to make long-term investments in our future and for reproductive freedom by advocating for higher reimbursement rates from Medicaid and private insurers," she added.

March For Life President Jeanne Mancini applauded the news, but said it doesn't change broader funding of abortion through taxpayer dollars.

"We are grateful that abortion will be limited at Planned Parenthood’s Manhattan clinic, but this does not change the fact that this pro-abortion machine continues to receive over a third of its annual funding from our tax dollars," she said. "The large majority of Americans are against taxpayer funding for abortion (60%) and late-term abortion (7 in 10 Americans), so Planned Parenthood should listen to Americans and stop pushing late-term abortions at the taxpayer’s expense."

When reached for comment, PPGNY directed Fox News Digital to the press release announcing the news.