Governor Jim Pillen signed an executive order Thursday restricting abortion providers from receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid dollars in Nebraska.
The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to review all Medicaid-funded providers and determine whether any have been excluded or sanctioned by Medicaid or CHIP programs in other states. Providers found in violation could face sanctions or be removed from Nebraska’s Medicaid program, Pillen told reporters Thursday.
“Nebraskans have made clear they support a culture of love and life in our state,” Pillen said. “I’m proud that we can take this bold step in halting funding to abortion providers that receive Medicaid funding.”
Nebraska is home to two Planned Parenthood clinics—one in Lincoln, the other in Omaha—and one clinic which offers abortion services in Bellevue, CARE Reproductive Health. The Lincoln clinic does not offer abortion services. When asked if the Lincoln clinic could be impacted, Pillen equated referral or counseling services with performing abortions.
“Every Planned Parenthood clinic has opportunities to provide abortion and counseling,” he said. “That still counts the same in my mind.”
Attorney General Mike Hilgers said the order follows two recent developments: President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which prohibits federal tax dollars from going to entities that perform abortions, and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding South Carolina’s decision to remove abortion providers from its Medicaid program.
State and federal law has already outlawed tax dollars from supporting abortion procedures, but Thursday’s executive order expands that restriction to any services offered by an abortion provider.
“Nebraskans want their hard-earned taxpayer dollars going to good healthcare, not subsidizing abortions,” Hilgers said.
According to DHHS, Medicaid payments to abortion providers for non-abortion services totaled $172,164 in FY 2024 and $341,972 in FY 2025.
When asked if this executive order was an attempt to drive Planned Parenthood and similar clinics out of the state, Hilgers and Pillen were indifferent.
“What they do or don’t do is really up to them,” said Hilgers.
“It’ll be their choice what to do,” said Pillen. “Our goal is to provide the greatest service for women and babies we possibly can.”