DENVER (KDVR) — As Congress considers President Donald Trump’s proposed reconciliation bill, federal funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood is on the chopping block—a move that could have sweeping consequences for health care access across the U.S.
While the bill doesn’t name Planned Parenthood directly, it bars clinics like it from participating in the Medicaid program, which provides health coverage for millions of low-income Americans. If passed, the measure could effectively defund Planned Parenthood, which says it may be forced to close up to 200 of its 600 health centers in 24 states.
“It would be very devastating for communities all across this country,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “Those 200 health centers exist largely in states that still allow abortion, so in some ways, we see this as a backdoor abortion ban.”
Planned Parenthood said that half its patients rely on Medicaid, and many centers are in rural or medically underserved areas, providing essential services like breast and cervical cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and treatment, and more.
In Colorado, the stakes are especially high. The state has become a hub for abortion care since the Dobbs decision ended federal abortion protections, and many patients now travel from other states to access care here.
“Colorado has been an oasis during this public health crisis,” Johnson said. “So the idea that Rep. Gabe Evans would vote for a bill that threatens access to care for Coloradans and others traveling here is unconscionable.”
Evans, a Colorado Republican, voted in favor of the bill—despite backlash from local reproductive rights supporters. His office defended the vote.
“Republicans are working to save Medicaid by removing fraud and waste so that the system prioritizes dollars for those who need it most: seniors, single mothers, kids, and people with disabilities,” said a spokesperson for Evans. “That’s exactly what Congressman Evans is fighting to do.”
On the other side, anti-abortion groups are praising the measure and urging swift passage.
“Planned Parenthood doesn’t deserve a single penny,” said Robyn Chambers, vice president of advocacy for children at Focus on the Family. “Women deserve compassionate, empowering, and life-affirming health care — not abortion.”
A vote on what Trump has called his “big, beautiful bill” is expected this Saturday, though it faces resistance from some Republicans. If passed, the impact on reproductive health access across the country could be immediate and far-reaching.
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