New state funding approved for Planned Parenthood

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 15, 2026

On March 25, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed SB 6182 into law, which aims to provide funding for abortion care.

Last July, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, which cut funding to Medicaid/Medicare as well as Planned Parenthood services. Previously in 2025, the Abortion Access Project (AAP) also received a 55% reduction in state funding during the previous legislative session. AAP was launched in Washington State following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

“The funding aims to support abortion patients and providers, including investments into security, patient care, and workforce development funding,” Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates communications manager Jennifer Martinez said. “The law allows premium tax on recollect ACA (Affordable Care Act) funding for abortion care and reinvest the funds, including those who are uninsured, underinsured, or unable to safely use insurance.

“Despite the major budget challenges the Washington legislature faced again this year, we are grateful for their steadfast leadership in protecting access to sexual and reproductive health care, supporting Planned Parenthood health centers, and taking care of the patients who rely on these services,” Martinez said. “These funds are crucial in stabilizing Planned Parenthood health centers as they continue to endure escalating attacks from the federal government on top of increased costs in providing health care overall.”

Planned Parenthood operates one health center in Bremerton serving Kitsap County, which reported over 5,000 patient visits last year. Martinez said the funding continues to offer a full scope of services, including sexual and reproductive health services, including cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, contraception, and abortion care.

“The restoration of funding for the AAP allows Planned Parenthood doors to stay open so patients can continue accessing the care they need, while the ASP (abortion savings program created through SB6182) will provide support for patients seeking abortion care who are uninsured, underinsured, or cannot safely utilize their insurance coverage. The Medicaid backfill allows patients to use Apple Health to get the care they need at Planned Parenthood health centers, despite the federal ‘defunding,’” she said.

PPAA vice president of marketing & communications Maureen McGregor said both APP and Medicaid backfill is being supported through the state general fund, including $8.5 million to restore funds to AAP over the next two years and $12.5 million annually to backfill Medicaid.

Martinez said Planned Parenthood continues to invest in telehealth services, allowing patients to access a wide variety of services.

“In addition to the abortion services that the AAP helps provide for, Planned Parenthood continues to expand our offerings. The Bremerton health center is preparing to offer advanced gynecological care in the near future, allowing patients to seek treatment for conditions such as endometriosis, complex menopause, and pelvic floor disorders. Patients will also have access to specialized procedures, including colposcopies, LEEP, endometrial or vulvar biopsies, among others,” she said.

Martinez said state funding will allow for backfilling of federal dollars, and she anticipates no changes to services will occur in Washington.

“What has changed with the state backfilling lost federal Medicaid dollars is simply the fund from which Apple Health claims are getting reimbursed. For now, the Congressional Medicaid defund of Planned Parenthood is only for one year (July 2025 – July 2026), though the Trump administration proposed a permanent ‘defund’ of Planned Parenthood,” she said. “We recognize this administration seeks to permanently block this funding, and while PPAA will continue fighting against these attempts, we appreciate Washington’s leadership in backfilling lost Medicaid dollars. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure Washingtonians do not lose access to the care they need moving forward.”