Oregon Health Authority launches website with resources for those seeking abortion care
Oregon Health Authority launched an abortion access website Tuesday, to help patients navigate the reproductive health care system and ensure they have an easy way to seek abortion care information and services, the agency said.
California, Washington, New York and Massachusetts have similar pages dedicated solely to abortion access. Planned Parenthood also has an online tool for understanding abortion access state by state.
“The new Abortion Access in Oregon website helps us reaffirm to people in Oregon that abortion remains legal and protected in our state, and that anyone who comes to our state for an abortion, regardless of immigration status, has the legal and protected right to that abortion service, not just Oregon residents,” Gov. Tina Kotek was quoted as saying in a news release about the website.
OHA Director Dr. Sejal Hathi said: "OHA remains staunchly committed to protecting access to the full range of reproductive health care — including and especially abortion, fertility services, and contraception — for all those who live in and visit our state.”
What can be found on Oregon's abortion access website?
A section on information about abortion describes medication abortion and procedural abortion. It also provides answers to frequently asked questions about abortion care, such as "how far into pregnancy can it be done?" and "how long does the abortion take?"
A section on the legal rights and privacy explains that abortion is legal and protected in Oregon, privacy rights of Oregonians seeking abortion care, youth access to abortion care and recent legislative history related to abortion and reproductive health.
A section on where to get an abortion lists clinics across Oregon that offer abortion services and information about telemedicine appointments to obtain abortion medication through the mail. The page also contains links for finding abortion providers outside of the state.
A section on paying for an abortion provides information about options for covering the costs of an abortion, such as coverage through private insurance coverage, Oregon Health Plan coverage, the Reproductive Health Access Fund for Oregon residents who are not U.S. citizens, and the Northwest Abortion Access Fund for those without health insurance.
A section on the abortion access plan describes Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), which in 2017 required health insurance providers regulated by the state to cover reproductive health services, including abortion. The Abortion Access Plan pays for abortion services for most people covered by an insurer excluded from RHEA, such as Providence health insurance or employers who offer a health plan that does not cover abortion because of religious beliefs.
The section on abortion support lists organizations that can help patients access resources for related abortion care costs and other support, such as travel, meals, childcare, lodging and emotional support.
Sydney Wyatt covers healthcare inequities in the Mid-Willamette Valley for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions, and tips to her at SWyatt@gannett.com, (503) 399-6613, or on Twitter @sydney_elise44
The Statesman Journal’s coverage of healthcare inequities is funded in part by the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, which seeks to strengthen the cultural, social, educational, and spiritual base of the Pacific Northwest through capacity-building investments in the nonprofit sector.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon Health Authority launches website dedicated to abortion access
