Reproductive Autonomy and Abortion Access in New Jersey

Abortion must be accessible and affordable for all. Anything less is unacceptable. In New Jersey, abortion is legal and the right to reproductive autonomy remains protected. In January 2022, before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Governor Murphy signed into law the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, codifying the right to reproductive autonomy, including abortion, into state statue, and reinforcing state constitutional protections in New Jersey. Additionally, New Jersey has taken important steps to remove unnecessary and harmful regulations that affected access to abortion, expanded the scope of health care professionals who can provide abortion care, and enacted shield laws to protect abortion providers.

Barriers to Reproductive Care

While New Jersey’s strong legal protections to reproductive autonomy, including abortion, remain in place, legality does not ensure equitable access to this time-sensitive care. Many insurmountable barriers to accessing abortion remain, especially for people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ communities, young people, people who are low-income, and those living in rural areas. One of the most restrictive barriers to abortion care is cost. The average cost of a first-trimester abortion in the United States is $550, and the costs increase drastically later in pregnancy. Data show that about half of adults in the U.S. can't afford an unexpected $500 health care bill. Though New Jersey allows Medicaid funds to cover abortions, many private insurance carriers will not cover abortion care, forcing patients to cover the entire amount themselves.

Abortion Costs in New Jersey

• Procedural in-clinic abortion (avg.): $495 to $1,095
• Abortion pills (avg.): $483
• Abortion pills with Hey Jane: $299 to $499 (and as low as $0 with insurance)

Even New Jerseyans who have abortion covered in their insurance plan may be faced with high out-of-pocket insurance costs, co-insurance, and expensive deductibles that push abortion care out of reach. Cost should never be a barrier to abortion care.

Clinic Accessibility and Logistics

Difficulties in finding a facility or clinic that provides abortion care can also impede access. Abortion facilities are closing at a concerning rate in New Jersey. Seven facilities closed between 2017 and 2021, leaving only 43 facilities to provide care for the nearly 2 million people who may seek care. As more facilities and clinics close, it is likely that the distance a patient must travel to access care will increase. Now that 33% of New Jersey counties do not have a clinic that provides abortion care, patients must travel greater distances to access the care they need while facing increased financial and logistical hurdles.

Legislative Action: The Reproductive Equity Act

To begin dismantling these financial and logistical barriers, New Jersey lawmakers must take immediate action to expand access to abortion in our state by passing the Reproductive Equity Act (REA). The REA will:

• Mandate many private insurers to cover abortion care with no out-of-pocket costs to the patient.
• Establish a program to support the costs of abortion care for people who are uninsured or underinsured, including undocumented community members.

Alternative Care: At-Home Medication Abortion

Hey Jane is the leading provider of at-home abortion care in the US. We offer medication abortion care for people who are at least 18 years old and are up to 10 weeks pregnant. You do not need to be a resident of New Jersey to get care with Hey Jane. Patients can 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 several ways to lower the cost of care, including insurance coverage that can bring cost as low as $0 and income-based pricing for all patients paying out of pocket.