Opinion: I’m a doctor in Virginia. Health care cuts make patient care impossible

The recent passage of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and its provision to “defund” Planned Parenthood has already brought chaos and confusion for the patients that our already-strained health care system struggles to treat.

Nationwide, over 2 million people rely on Planned Parenthood annually for STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, wellness visits, and abortion. And that’s just where it’s legal. Here in Virginia, Planned Parenthood is an irreplaceable part of the health care system, especially in rural and medically underserved areas.

As the only state in the South without a new abortion ban since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Planned Parenthood’s presence in Virginia is more important than ever. As a provider, I have seen how abortion bans in other states have decimated reproductive health care and caused irreparable, unnecessary harm. Virginians rely on Planned Parenthood for the full spectrum of reproductive health care. Each year, about 25,000 patients are seen across the seven health centers in the state. In 2023, Planned Parenthood provided 12,081 patients with birth control, conducted 12,027 tests for chlamydia and treated 673 patients who came back positive, performed 705 pap tests, and 1,295 breast exams. The reproductive health of thousands of Virginians hangs in the balance, with more at risk if Planned Parenthood is no longer an option for care.

If Planned Parenthood is ultimately “defunded”—unable to be reimbursed for the health care we provide to those on Medicaid—the patients who will be harmed the most are those already facing barriers to health care, including those with low income, people of color, and patients living in rural communities. There is no alternative provider that could step in and  fill the void Planned Parenthood would leave in Virginia. This could result in cancer going undetected, STIs being untreated, and our patients losing access to birth control, which enables them to make the decisions that are best for their health and their futures. 

My patients, like millions nationwide, deserve affordable, high-quality care, regardless of income. Anti-abortion lawmakers are willing to throw them under the bus to advance a political agenda with no regard for the aftermath of ripping away such a crucial provider. Our healthcare system is already fraught – people need more access to basic healthcare, not less. As a provider, it’s an uphill battle to give my patients the care they need and deserve in our landscape, and shuttering Planned Parenthood will make that even more difficult or impossible altogether. 

As these political fights continue, one thing I know for sure is that Planned Parenthood here in Virginia is committed to serving its patients to the best of our ability. Time and time again, we have stood up for those in our care as attacks have rolled in. We will never stop fighting for the rights of our patients to make the decisions that are best for them. In Virginia, we have held the line against attacks on abortion, birth control, and reproductive freedom across the board, and we won’t stop now. Our patients are counting on us to show up for them, as we always have.