Christine Ruiz felt nervous as she sat in an exam room for skin treatments. She was getting injectables like Botox, but it was her first time at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
Ruiz told her clinician she wanted "the elevens" and across the forehead, plus a "lip flip."
The Sacramento clinic is part of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. This is the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country. It covers Northern California and parts of Nevada.
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Start Your News DetoxNew Services to Offset Funding Cuts
The clinic now offers new services. These include Botox and IV hydration for skin rejuvenation or after drinking. Patients pay cash for these services. They can also get sedation for procedures like IUD placement.
This change comes because Planned Parenthood faces financial uncertainty. Former President Donald Trump and Congress cut funding for the organization. These cuts prevent Planned Parenthood and other groups that perform abortions from accepting Medicaid for non-abortion services. The cuts are set to expire this summer, but Congress might renew them.
About 75% to 80% of the affiliate's patients use Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. The money from new services could help the affiliate keep providing reproductive healthcare. This would fill the funding gap.
Dr. Laura Dalton, Chief Medical Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, is excited. She sees it as a way for patients to support the organization financially.
The affiliate has closed five clinics since the funding cuts.
Ruiz, now in her early 50s, used Planned Parenthood for birth control and reproductive healthcare when she was younger. She felt respected and supported. When the chance came to support them through aesthetic services, she took it.
Planned Parenthood charges $9 per unit of Botox. This can be 25% to 50% cheaper than other providers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have given hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding to Planned Parenthood. This includes $90 million in February.
Samantha Pohlman, a registered nurse, injects Xeomin IncobotulinumtoxinA near Christine Ruiz’s eyebrow during a cosmetic treatment at Planned Parenthood - B Street, in Sacramento, Calif. in March./Tracy Barbutes for NPR
However, organization leaders are unsure if this will cover core services long-term if Congress renews the cuts. These services include cancer screenings, STI testing, and contraceptive care.
Debate Over New Offerings
This spending has caused a backlash from politicians and groups against abortion rights. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, criticized the "Botox bailout."
Dr. Dalton says the affiliate's providers see a lot of interest in aesthetic services. Many are for cosmetic reasons. But Botox can also treat migraines and support gender-affirming care. She sees these services as a way for patients to exercise bodily autonomy.
Samantha Pohlman, a registered nurse, speaks with a patient prior to cosmetic treatment at Planned Parenthood in Sacramento, Calif. Tracy Barbutes for NPR
Some who support Planned Parenthood's mission are concerned. Jessica DeFino, a beauty critic, worries about linking anti-aging procedures like Botox with feminism. She believes the aesthetic use of Botox doesn't align with the fight for freedom from gender-based discrimination.
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte says this change ensures reproductive care remains available.
The affiliate currently offers Botox and IV hydration at some locations. It plans to expand into cosmetic fillers and GLP-1 weight-loss treatments. Dalton believes these new services could be a model for other clinics trying to stay open.
Deep Dive & References
Medicaid rule targeting abortion providers set to expire - Stateline, 2026 Governor Newsom Signs Legislation Delivering $90 Million in Emergency Funding for Planned Parenthood After Trump Defunds Organization - California Governor's Office, 2026
Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Planned Parenthood Offering Cosmetic Injections and Procedures as a Tax-Exempt Organization - Senator Marsha Blackburn, 2026
