Planned Parenthood Navigators: Overcoming Barriers to Abortion Access and Costs

Even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, being able to terminate a pregnancy was not a choice available to everyone who wanted it, particularly for those with low incomes living in rural areas with no health care providers in their community. Since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling that returned the regulation of abortion to states, many state legislatures severely restricted the procedure, including medication abortions, which comprise more than half of all abortions in the U.S.

The Role of Abortion Patient Navigators

One of the ways that the reproductive health organizations ensure access is to hire abortion patient navigators to help those who need an abortion meet the challenges that may stand in the way, such as travel or costs. They serve as short term case managers to help people access abortion care. Nova Newman is one of four abortion patient navigators that work for Planned Parenthood statewide. She joins us to talk about how she approaches her job and the ways she helps facilitate access for patients coming from Idaho, Texas and other red states.

Typically, she describes her position as responding to patient requests for assistance and then that assistance can really just vary as far as what it looks like. Sometimes it’s really straightforward, as simple as just needing to schedule them at the correct health center. Sometimes we’re talking more in depth about funding or other logistical needs. And other times we’re just really answering questions and concerns for the patient.

How Patients Connect with Navigators

The way that we get connected with patients is at the point where they’re scheduling. Whether that’s calling our call center and scheduling over the phone or using a patient assistance form online, they can essentially just click that they need help or further assistance from a patient navigator. By the time we’re in conversation, they know that they want an abortion and they just need either help with logistical needs or have questions or concerns.

Insurance Coverage and Financial Assistance

Cost should never be a barrier to abortion care. In Washington, private insurance and Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) can bring the cost of abortion care to as low as $0 depending on your plan. Washington Apple Health, the state’s Medicaid program, covers both medication abortions and in-person procedural abortions. In fact, Medicaid offers After Pregnancy Coverage (APC), or health care services for 12 months after a pregnancy ends, including pregnancies that end through abortion.

Estimated Abortion Costs in Washington

Based on the provided data, here are the average costs for care:

• Procedural in-clinic abortion (avg.): $662 to $750
• Abortion pills (avg.): $650
• Abortion pills with Hey Jane: $299 to $499 (and as low as $0 with insurance)

Accessing Local and Virtual Care

Abortion is legal throughout the state of Washington from big cities like Seattle and Spokane to more rural towns. If you do not have access to nearby in-person clinics, you can travel to clinics somewhere else in the state, or opt for virtual care from a clinic like Hey Jane where you can consult with a licensed provider via chat or video call, have abortion pills mailed to you, and take treatment from the comfort of home. Hey Jane offers medication abortion care for people who are at least 18 years old and are up to 10 weeks pregnant.