Post-Roe: Significant Increase in Patients Traveling for Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 3, 2022
CONTACT: Claire Connolly, claire.connolly@berlinrosen.com 

One Month After the Fall of Roe, NAF Reports Significant Increase in Patients Traveling for Care

The nation’s largest abortion hotline reported a 5100% increase in plane or bus trips and a 1400% increase in hotel room bookings in the month following Dobbs

NATIONAL – Today, the National Abortion Federation, which operates the NAF Hotline—the largest national, multi-lingual abortion hotline in the U.S.—reported a significant increase in the number of patients it has supported with travel assistance in the month following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. The NAF Hotline Fund supports patients with provider referrals, case management services, and financial assistance to help them afford the cost of care and travel-related expenses. 

From June 24 to July 25 the NAF Hotline has:

• Offered financial support for more than 3,500 abortion procedures. To date in 2022 (Jan 1-July 25), NAF funded more than 70,000 abortion procedures, compared to more than 63,000 in the same period last year.
• Paid for 76 hotel rooms for patients traveling to access care, compared to 5 during the same period last year. 
• Booked 52 trips by plane or bus for patients traveling to access care, compared to 1 in the same period last year. 

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

“More people are being forced to travel now than ever before. While it’s great that we’ve been able to help a large number of people travel to states where abortion care is permitted, the reality is that these trips can be incredibly challenging, especially since the majority of those who seek abortions already have children that need to be looked after, and many don’t have jobs that allow them to take time off. And for abortion seekers who are undocumented, traveling at all can put their livelihoods at risk. 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.”