Planned Parenthood of Illinois is closing its health centers in Bloomington and Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood in March as part of a restructuring.

Agency officials said Planned Parenthood of Illinois is facing a financial shortfall brought on by rising health care costs for in-person care, an increase in patient volume needing financial assistance, an uncertain patient care landscape under a new national political administration, and the need to create a sustainable future after the overturning of Roe v Wade.

The restructuring also includes the closing of Planned Parenthood health centers in Ottawa and Decatur.

None of the health centers being closed provide procedural abortion care.

Planned Parenthood’s 13 other health centers in Illinois will be unaffected.

Appointment availability will be expanded at Planned Parenthood’s centers in Peoria, Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood, Waukegan, Champaign and Springfield. Appointments via telehealth and the Planned Parenthood Direct App are also expected to expand.

“Patient care is and will always be our number one priority,” said Tonya Tucker, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “We made plans for the patient surge, however rising care costs and lower reimbursement rates from insurers are jeopardizing PPIL’s sustainability.

“Unfortunately, this is the reality many other Planned Parenthood affiliates are facing in the rapidly evolving health care environment. We are making the difficult decisions today so we can continue providing care tomorrow and well into the future.”

Illinois has seen the highest volume of abortion patients coming from other states. Since Roe was overturned in 2022, PPIL has seen a 47 percent increase in overall abortion care patients and an unprecedented number of out-of-state patients traveling from more than 40 other states making up nearly a quarter of the agency’s overall abortion patients.

Before the Dobbs decision eliminating the constitution right to an abortion, between 3 and 5 percent of PPIL abortion parents were from out of state.

The increase in patient volume, coupled with low reimbursement rates from insurers and rising costs of providing care has resulted in PPIL needing to realign its health centers and staffing, officials said.

PPIL is downsizing its administrative staff to match the changes in health centers. The agency said, where possible, health center staff will be offered comparable positions at other locations or transitioned to telehealth.

Planned Parenthood is offering medication abortions through the PPDirect App. PPIL already provided birth control, UTI treatment, at-home STI testing and emergency contraception through PPDirect.

Agency officials said that adding medication abortion to the suite of services expands access, reduces wait times at health centers, and provides the right care patients need wherever they are.

Patients using PPDirect fill out a questionnaire that is reviewed by a PPIL medical professional. PPIL either mails the medication abortion pills to the patient or works with them to schedule an appointment at a health center.

Patients can receive follow-up care at a PPIL health center if needed and they can make an appointment through the PPDirect App.

“Offering medication abortion through the PPDirect app allows patients to connect with us through their phone,” said Dr. Virgil Reid, interim chief medical officer. “This expands access because patients can receive the same great care they associate with Planned Parenthood from the comfort of wherever they are in the state.

“And we are there to answer any questions or schedule an in-person appointment, if needed.”

PPIL has been around for 100 years and is committed to being here for future generations, agency officials said.

They added that the decision to close health centers and downsize staff is difficult, but necessary to operate a sustainable organization that can contribute to providing communities with essential health care and education.

PPIL offers medication and procedural abortions, birth control, gender-affirming care, STI testing and treatment, and cancer screenings at health centers across the state.

For information, visit ppil.org.