Court upholds Medicaid ban that shuttered clinics in Hamilton, Springfield: Where are women getting care?

She said the federal policy and the closures of health centers in Hamilton and Springfield is reducing access to STI testing and treatment, birth control, cancer screenings and general wellness exams.

A ruling this month from the federal First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the federal government’s ability to block all Medicaid funds to abortion providers, even to pay for services outside of abortive care.

State Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, celebrated the court’s ruling.

“Ensuring that the most innocent and vulnerable among us receive basic protections is the foundation of good government,” Huffman said in a statement. “As a proudly pro-life doctor and legislator, I’m grateful to see this ruling go into effect and look forward to pursuing similar efforts here in Ohio.”

“American tax dollars should not be used in any way to prop up organizations that are in the business of killing babies,” he said.

A month after the policy was signed into law, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Region officially closed its family planning clinics in Hamilton and Springfield.

Whaley said about 40% of people who used the region’s family planning clinics in Dayton, Cincinnati, Hamilton and Springfield were insured through Medicaid. Today, only the Dayton and Cincinnati clinics remain, and neither of them can receive Medicaid funds.

“Many people who have Medicaid as an insurance provider can’t come to Planned Parenthood anymore — they have to pay out of pocket and they can’t afford that," she said.

The surgical centers where abortions are performed also remain open.

Whaley stressed that Planned Parenthood never accepted Medicaid funds for abortive care and characterized Huffman’s comments as extreme.

“When Steve Huffman celebrates something like this, he is celebrating people not getting the critical care they need when it comes to STI testing and family planning,” said Whaley, noting that she expects the bill to lead to even more abortions in southwest Ohio.

Huffman did not respond to several requests for comment on this story regarding his thoughts on how the policy will affect the landscape of reproductive healthcare in the region.

Clark County impact

In Clark County, Health Commissioner Chris Cook told this outlet that the Combined Health District is already seeing increased demand for services Planned Parenthood used to offer the area.

“When it comes to other things like our sexual health clinic, I think we’re just on the beginning of feeling a pinch there because of the recent closure of Planned Parenthood,” Cook said.

“I think we haven’t fully realized what that’s going to do to other providers in the community, not only us, but for example, Pregnancy Resource Clinic, Rocking Horse. I think we’re going to start feeling that pinch and or people going out of town for that kind of care for sexual health and reproductive health.”

Planned Parenthood has said it doesn’t anticipate any additional closures as a result of the bill.