Virtual abortion provider expands to Ohio
Feb. 23—LIMA — Virtual abortion provider Hey Jane has expanded into Ohio.
The New York-based telehealth clinic announced on Tuesday it will begin offering virtual access to medication abortion, contraception and other sexual health services in Ohio through its website.
"Ohioans deserve access to high-quality, evidence-based abortion care — without unnecessary delays or financial burdens," Alyssa Wagner, a nurse practitioner and medical director for Hey Jane, said in a news release.
"By accepting insurance and providing compassionate telemedicine services, we're breaking down barriers and ensuring more people get the care they need, when they need it," Wagner said.
Ohio a 'crucial hub for abortion access'
Hey Jane co-founder and CEO Kiki Freedman said she started the site after witnessing clinic closures in the Midwest. The company's expansion comes as Ohio is expected to become "a crucial hub for abortion access in the Midwest," Freedman said in a news release.
Nearly 3,000 women traveled to Ohio for an abortion in 2023, accounting for 13% of all abortions induced in Ohio that year, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Only 7% of women who obtained abortions in Ohio the previous year traveled from out of state, ODH data show.
Abortion is banned in all or most circumstances in neighboring Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, but the procedure remains legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy in Ohio following the passage of a ballot measure to amend the state's constitution in 2023.
Abortion clinics reported a surge in patients with 22,000 abortions induced that year, up from 18,500 abortions in 2022, the same year Ohio's six-week abortion ban briefly took effect following the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which returned abortion regulation to the states.
"As we continue expanding, our mission — to provide virtual reproductive and sexual health care, including abortion care, to as many individuals as possible — remains steadfast, and the launch into Ohio marks a pivotal moment in achieving that goal," Freedman said.
How it works
Hey Jane advertises "safe, discreet medication abortion treatment" for women who don't want to travel or wait for an appointment with an in-person clinic, available in Ohio and 20 other states where abortion remains legal.
It starts with an online intake form, which includes questions about the woman's medical history and pregnancy to determine if she is eligible.
Women then consult with a licensed provider by text message, chat, video or phone call, according to the Hey Jane website.
The company says it works with an in-house clinical team of board-certified physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses and patient advocates with in-clinic abortion experience — many of whom, the site boasts, have had abortions themselves — who are available by phone, video call or chat for support "every step of the way," according to the website.
The site will send medication to an eligible patient's home address or a P.O. box in any of the 21 states where Hey Jane operates.
An unmarked envelope containing abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol, as well as pain and anti-nausea medications, should arrive within one to five days after a prescription is sent to the pharmacy, according to the site.
Patients must be at least 18 years old and no more than 10 weeks pregnant, according to the website.
Women who are further along in their pregnancy may seek a surgical abortion in Ohio until they are 22 weeks pregnant, with later abortions available in cases where continuing the pregnancy would jeopardize the woman's life or health.
The site provides access to emergency contraception, birth control and treatment for urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and herpes too, and aims to make abortion medication more affordable.
The average medication abortion in Ohio costs $650, while a surgical abortion can cost anywhere from $650 to $1,110 depending on the gestational age of the fetus, according to the Hey Jane website.
But a medication abortion through Hey Jane can cost as little as $0 with insurance, the website says. The site offers income-based prices for patients paying out of pocket and financial assistance from abortion funds.
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