Hundreds of Mainers losing primary care services amid Maine Family Planning practice closures

ELLSWORTH -- Hundreds of Mainers are losing their primary care providers after the closure this week of Maine Family Planning's three primary care practices in the region. According to the organization, the closures are a consequence of revoked Medicaid funding.

As of Nov. 1, Maine Family Planning, which operates 18 clinics statewide, has closed its primary care practices, located in Ellsworth, Presque Isle and Houlton, affecting more than 600 patients.

"Reducing the number of total healthcare providers available to Medicaid patients is going to be devastating both for those patients and the public health system in general," said Meetra Mehdizadeh, Senior Staff Attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights.

The largest reproductive health network says its Medicaid funding was cut off