WASHINGTON — Planned Parenthood and a growing number of providers are turning down millions of dollars in federal funding rather than comply with a new Trump Administration rule prohibiting clinics from referring women for abortions.

“Imagine how strange it would be if you went to your doctor and said, ‘I have these choices, and I need to terminate my pregnancy. Can you refer me to the doctor who is most appropriate for me?’ And that provider basically has to say to them I can’t provide you that information,” Emily Nestler, an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights explained in an interview with Spectrum News.

As a result, many providers are opting out. Doreen Denny, the Senior Director of Government Relations for Concerned Women for America, says the new rule is welcome news.

“Understand that a referral is essentially a promotion, when you get referred to a doctor for something, you’re getting referred for the procedure. So, Title X can’t allow for that,” Denny explained.

The change isn’t only impacting Planned Parenthood — others are also withdrawing, like Maine Family Planning. Nestler is representing the clinic in its own legal challenge to the rule.

She says it could force as many as 15 clinics in the largely rural state to close.

"In the meantime, you have longer wait times, prices go up, people can’t get appointments when they need them, with respect to abortion access that’s particularly troubling, because time is of the essence,” Nestler said.

Federal enforcement of the new Title X rules begins in September and will remain in place unless Congress acts to overturn it or legal challenges prevail in court.

“What a future administration would do, well we don’t know. Congress could make more clarity around here,” Denny said. “The rule-making process that the Trump Administration went through included public comment, they did everything according to plan.”

The rule also requires financial and physical separation between facilities funded by Title 10 and those where abortions are performed by next March.