Planned Parenthood shuts down in Louisiana over "political warfare"
Why it matters: The nonprofit sexual health provider has for 40 years provided low- and no-cost primary care, preventative screenings and tests, and treatment and counseling for sexually transmitted infections.
The big picture: Planned Parenthood's national organization warned in July that, with its Medicaid funding on the chopping block in President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, about 60% of its subsidiaries were likely to close.
Trump's efforts to "defund Planned Parenthood" have hit a snag in the courts, but the Gulf Coast branch of the organization announced two weeks ago that it would shut down two of its Houston clinics and transfer its remaining four to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Houston Public Media reports.
The closure of the organization's remaining facilities — one in New Orleans and another in Baton Rouge — are "a direct result of relentless political assaults," according to a statement from Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast CEO Melaney Linton.
What they're saying: "This is not a decision we wanted to make; it is one we were forced into by political warfare," Linton continued.
"We are not the first Planned Parenthood affiliate to face this reality, and we will not be the last," she said. "Every health center closure, every patient who goes without care, every undetected cancer and untreated infection is on those lawmakers' hands."
By the numbers: While the organization has become a conservative political target for the access it provides to abortion services, Planned Parenthood has long provided additional sexual health care.
The organization, for example, provided more than 10,600 visits for nearly 18,000 patients in Louisiana last year, a spokeswoman tells Axios New Orleans.
They accounted for nearly 30,000 STI tests, 655 ultrasounds and 1,795 cancer screenings and prevention services, which identified 76 diagnoses of precancerous conditions, according to the spokeswoman.
The Louisiana clinics also provided more than 14,000 birth control visits, including nearly 4,200 vasectomies.
Go deeper
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
18 minutes ago
- Fast Company
Sources reveal the Trump administration's plans for cutting U.S. drug prices
The Trump administration has been talking to drugmakers about ways to raise prices of medicines in Europe and elsewhere in order to cut drug costs in the United States, according to a White House official and three pharmaceutical industry sources. U.S. officials told drug companies it would support their international negotiations with governments if they adopt 'most favored nation' pricing under which U.S. drug costs match the lower rates offered to other wealthy countries, the White House official said. The U.S. is currently negotiating bilateral trade deals and setting tariff rates on the sector. The Trump administration has asked some companies for ideas on raising prices abroad, two of the sources said, describing multiple meetings over several months aimed at lowering U.S. prices without triggering cuts to research and development spending drugmakers insist would result. The White House official called the effort collaborative, saying both sides were seeking advice from each other. The U.S. pays more for prescription drugs than any other country, often nearly three times as much as other developed nations. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to narrow this gap to stop Americans from being 'ripped off.' The previously unreported discussions reflect the challenges Trump faces to achieve that goal, and are the backdrop to the letters he sent last week to CEOs of 17 major drugmakers, urging them to cut U.S. prices to match those paid overseas. Unlike in the U.S., where market forces determine drug prices, European governments typically negotiate directly with companies to set prices for their national healthcare systems. Anna Kaltenboeck, a health economist at Verdant Research, said European nations have leverage to drive pricing and are sometimes willing to walk away from purchasing medicines they deem too expensive. Drugmakers generate most of their sales in the U.S. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America — the industry's main lobby group — has always argued that cutting U.S. prices would stifle innovation by lowering R&D spending. PhRMA declined to comment on the private meetings. Kaltenboeck said past studies had shown that drugmakers made enough money in the U.S. to more than fund their entire global R&D spends. 'Prices can come down in the United States without being increased in other countries, and we can still get innovation,' she said. TOP PRIORITY Despite the Trump administration's tariff threats and pressure to move more manufacturing to the U.S., the push to raise European drug prices is its top priority in discussions with industry, according to a senior executive at a European drugmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the confidential meetings. 'This is the key conversation right now with PhRMA and every company getting that message from Pennsylvania Avenue to a point that we are already executing on it,' the executive said, referring to the White House address. The company had already met with European governments on the issue, the executive added. An E.U. Commission spokesperson said it is in regular contact with the pharma industry and pointed to an agreement with the U.S. that should it impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals, they would be capped at 15%. When asked how the administration would support international drug price negotiations, the White House official referred Reuters to Trump's most favored nation executive order from May. That order directed trade officials to pursue trade and legal action against countries keeping drug prices below fair market value. In last week's letters, Trump complained that since the May executive order, most industry proposals had simply shifted blame for high prices or requested policy changes that would result in billions in industry handouts. A second source, a pharmaceutical executive who was not authorized to speak on the matter, said the Trump administration has been continually meeting with representatives of his company and had discussed strategies for raising drug prices internationally. 'There's a big push from the administration to drive up prices outside the U.S.,' the executive said. The executive said the Trump administration had been looking at using trade talks with the UK and EU as leverage, and considered pressuring countries to spend a higher percentage of GDP on new medicines or offering tariff breaks in exchange for higher drug spending. It was understood that the UK deal specifically aims to get the country to ramp up investment in branded medicines over time, the executive said. A spokesperson for the UK government said it would continue to work closely with the U.S. and its own pharmaceutical industry to understand the possible impact of any changes to drug pricing, without commenting on the trade talks. In April, over 30 industry CEOs including those from AstraZeneca, Bayer and Novo Nordisk signed a letter to European Union President Ursula von der Leyen saying Europe needed to rethink its pricing policies. 'It's going to be very difficult for a country that already has the ability to control what it spends to go in the other direction,' Kaltenboeck said, 'and it doesn't make much sense for them politically.'
CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
Weiss Hospital could face closure when kicked off Medicare, Medicaid Friday, report says
Weiss Hospital in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood will be removed from the Medicare and Medicaid programs Friday, and a report suggests it could face closure. The Department of Health and Human Services is removing Weiss from the federal health care programs, saying the hospital failed to meet their standards of care. A nurse in the hospital's Emergency Department told the Chicago Sun-Times they expect to shut down Friday morning at 7 a.m. They said they were informed of that decision by their supervisor, and also noted no staff schedule has been set beyond Saturday. CBS News Chicago has leaned more about the exact reasons the hospital was deemed noncompliant with federal rules. Notably, a July 12 report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not cite the hospital's broken air conditioning as a reason. Rather, the report detailed multiple failures related to nursing care, along with a failure related to pharmaceutical record-keeping.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Epicured Partners with Staten Island Performing Provider System to Provide Nutrition Services Under the New York State $7.5B Medicaid Waiver
GLEN COVE, N.Y., Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicured Inc., the leading provider of medically tailored nutrition solutions, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Staten Island Performing Provider System (Staten Island PPS) to meet the growing demand for nutrition services under New York State's $7.5 billion Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver program. This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in Epicured's mission to deliver clinically appropriate, home-delivered meals, pantry boxes, and nutrition counseling services to Medicaid members across the state. In collaboration with Staten Island PPS, Epicured is improving health outcomes, addressing health disparities, and advancing a "whole-person care" approach for New York's most vulnerable communities. "Staten Island PPS has been an incredible partner in this work," said Richard Bennett, CEO and Co-founder of Epicured. "Their commitment to unlocking access to essential services, combined with our capacity to deliver clinically appropriate, scalable nutrition solutions, is already beginning to drive meaningful change in the lives of many." Since the Waiver's launch in January 2025, Epicured has expanded its logistics, operations, and care delivery infrastructure to quickly serve Medicaid members statewide. Epicured's personalized services include home-delivered medically tailored meals (MTMs), pantry and grocery boxes, and one-on-one nutrition counseling, all designed to meet the clinical needs cultural preferences of each patient. By partnering with Staten Island PPS, Epicured ensures its services reach those who need them most. "Epicured's commitment to quality, scalability, and culturally relevant nutrition has made them a vital partner in our work," said Joe Conte, Executive Director of Staten Island PPS. "Together, we are bringing dignity and real change to thousands of Medicaid members." Over the past six months, Epicured has already had an impact on Medicaid members by making it easier to adopt healthier eating habits through the delivery of clinically appropriate meal and pantry boxes. While meeting each member's daily nutritional needs, Epicured also offers a wide range of medically tailored therapeutic journeys to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, as well as the special needs of pregnant and postpartum women. These services are designed to meet the unique needs of a diverse population including infants and elderly, ensuring that personalized, condition-specific nutrition is accessible at every stage of life and every stage of health. Feedback from program participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing the impact the program has had on their health and overall quality of life: "I recommend Epicured to anyone who needs help transitioning to a healthy and different way of eating," said a member in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. "The portions are great, and you'll be amazed at the different meals." A resident of South Beach public housing shared, "This program is great because I have trouble walking and standing for long periods. I've been telling everyone because it's a great program." Epicured looks forward to continuing to offer its food is medicine expertise to treat members with dignity, reduce health disparities, improve outcomes, and provide easier access to adequate and appropriate nutrition, healthcare's most essential building block. If you are a Medicaid Member, you may be eligible for free services under the 1115 waiver. Visit to complete a self-screening form or call (917)830-1140 to get screened. Contact Information: Alexandra Weil, Epicured, press@ About Epicured Inc. Epicured is on a mission to combat and prevent chronic disease, translating scientific research into high-quality food products nationwide. Our evidence-based approach brings the best of the clinical and culinary worlds together to help people eat better, feel better, and live better one meal at a time. As the leading Food is Medicine company, Epicured is working to redefine nutrition's role in the American healthcare industry and Americans' health. We work with individuals, health plans, healthcare providers, and life sciences companies to design innovative and delicious solutions to some of the world's toughest problems. Find out more about our vision for advancing food is medicine by visiting or follow us on LinkedIn. About Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) is a non-profit public health organization founded in 2014 under the New York State Department of Health Medicaid 1115 waiver amendment known as the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. Under that program, SI PPS received funding to build a network of medical, behavioral health, and social service agencies tasked with implementing projects to improve health outcomes, improve quality of care, and reduce costs for the Medicaid program. SI PPS succeeded in meeting the State's targets for reducing avoidable hospital utilization and improving access to medical and behavioral health, among others. At the end of the program, SI PPS earned high performance funding which has been invested back into network partners who have continued to expand upon population health improvement 2024, New York State received an extension of their Medicaid 1115 waiver amendment to implement a new initiative called New York Health Equity Reform. Under this waiver, SI PPS became the lead entity in Richmond County to develop a Social Care Network. The goal of the Social Care Network is to expand and enhance the capability of our network to provide health-related social needs screening for all Medicaid members, improve the coordination and delivery of social care services, and reduce health disparities. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Epicured Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
