Maine Family Planning is closing its primary care practice at the end of the month.
The organization says the decision will affect hundreds of patients and is the result of a new federal law that bans providers who also offer abortions from billing Medicaid.
That's a nearly $2 million annual loss for Maine Family Planning.
“The cruel and dangerous law has put us in an impossible situation," President and CEO George Hill said in a written statement. "Discharging and turning away vulnerable patients strikes at the very heart of MFP’s reputation as a trusted community provider that has been able to serve patients of any means for more than 50 years.”
The nonprofit unsuccessfully sought a court injunction to restore funding this summer. It then asked for a federal appeals court to rule on its injunction request by the end of September but did not receive a response.
Maine Family Planning says it will continue to see patients who need family planning care, regardless of insurance status, for as long as they can.
This story will be updated.
