Four Months After the Fall of Roe, NAF Reports Ongoing Rise in Patients Traveling for Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2022
CONTACT: [email protected]

The nation’s largest abortion hotline reported an 800% increase in plane or bus trips and a 500% increase in hotel room bookings in the months following Dobbs

NATIONAL – Today, the National Abortion Federation, which operates the National Abortion Hotline—the largest national, multi-lingual abortion assistance hotline in the U.S.—released updated numbers about travel funded by the Hotline since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court on June 24. Compared to the same period last year, the Hotline has seen a significant increase in a need for travel funding for patients seeking an abortion. The National Abortion Hotline supports patients with provider referrals, case management services, and financial assistance to help them afford the cost of care and travel-related expenses. 

From July – September 2022 the National Abortion Hotline has supported:

• 257 hotel rooms for patients traveling to access care, compared to 42 during the same period last year (a 511% increase).
• 200 trips by plane or bus for patients traveling to access care, compared to 23 in the same period last year (a 770% increase).
• 57 rideshares for patients traveling to access care, compared to 3 in the same period last year (an 1800% increase).
• 31,000 abortion procedures since June 25. To date in 2022 (Jan 1 – October 23), the National Abortion Hotline funded more than 90,000 abortion procedures, compared to more than 86,000 in the same period last year.

Veronica Jones, Chief Operating Officer, National Abortion Federation said:

“The National Abortion Hotline is a critical part of the abortion access infrastructure in a post-Roe world, as more people are being forced to travel to access care. While we have supported tens of thousands of patients since June, every new restriction that goes into effect means even more people will be forced to leave their home states for abortion care. The truth is, abortion bans are intended to make accessing care burdensome, and even with financial assistance, some people will still be denied the abortion care they need. Until we restore abortion rights for everyone and remove the burdens that made accessing abortion care difficult even before Roe was overturned, there will always be people without access to the care they want and need. 

NAF is committed to helping anyone, no matter their income, race, or zip code, access abortion care. Anyone in any state can call the NAF Hotline at 1-800-772-9100 to understand their options and get the assistance they need, whether that’s help finding a provider, arranging travel to another state, or funding their care.”  

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