Illinois braces for more patients as Wisconsin pauses abortions

Illinois elected officials and abortion providers foresee an influx of Wisconsin patients after the state’s Planned Parenthood branch announced Wednesday it would pause abortions Oct. 1 while it faces losing Medicaid funding as a result of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax law.

Providers and abortion-rights advocates joined Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, state Sen. Robert Peters and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy Thursday to voice support for Planned Parenthood and welcome patients from Wisconsin seeking an abortion.

The number of patients traveling from Wisconsin to get abortions at Family Planning Associates in Chicago has directly correlated to court decisions on abortion access in Wisconsin, according to Dr. Allison Cowett, chief medical officer at Family Planning Associates. Cowett said she’s heard out-of-state patients share their frustration and anger that they have to travel to find access to an abortion.

“They come by car, by bus and by plane to Illinois — the single mom who works, cares for her children and takes classes online in the evenings to finish her bachelor’s degree; the high school student who arrives in Illinois with her parents, both of them looking toward her future,” Cowett said.

The provision banning abortion funding was part of the federal budget reconciliation bill President Donald Trump signed into law in July. It was designed to exclude abortion providers from receiving Medicaid reimbursement, despite federal money not being used to finance abortions.

For the full story go to chicago.suntimes.com.