Panned Parenthood Expands Services with Cosmetic Treatments Amid Medicaid Funding Cuts

After President Trump and Congress cut certain Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood in last year’s budget, some clinics have started offering aesthetic services, including Botox, to stay afloat.

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the nation’s largest Planned Parenthood affiliate covering Northern California and parts of Nevada, has begun offering Botox injections and other cosmetic treatments such as IV hydration for skin rejuvenation or post-alcohol recovery. Patients pay for these services out of pocket, as the organization seeks to offset revenue losses from federal funding cuts that prohibit Medicaid reimbursement for non-abortion services.

Dr. Laura Dalton, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, said the affiliate is responding to financial uncertainty with innovation. “Our kind of future financial stability remains uncertain,” Dalton told KCRA News. “We are resilient and innovative, and I like to say that when faced with a crisis, our doors did not close. They opened wider.”

The clinic in Sacramento, located on B Street, now provides Botox treatments at $9 per unit — lower than the $12 to $15 typically charged at medical spas. Services also include nitrous oxide for pain management during procedures like intrauterine device placement, with plans to launch dermal fillers and sclerotherapy in the coming weeks.

According to the affiliate, approximately 75 to 80 percent of its patients rely on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. The loss of federal reimbursement has already led to the closure of five clinics since the funding cuts took effect. By introducing cash-based aesthetic services, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte aims to stabilize its operations while continuing to provide essential reproductive health care.

The organization emphasizes that these new offerings are not a departure from its mission but an expansion of patient-centered care. “We’re providing [a] neurotoxin which is commonly referred to as Botox,” Dalton said. “And, hopefully, in a few weeks, we’ll be launching fillers and sclerotherapy.” She added that the services are intended to make patients feel heard and reflect the affiliate’s effort to evolve beyond traditional perceptions of Planned Parenthood.

While the Medicaid funding restrictions are set to expire this summer, Congress could renew them for another year. Until then, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte continues to adapt its model to maintain access to care amid shifting federal policies.