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Now

Restrictions on private insurance coverage of abortion pose a danger to abortion access and better health coverage
As of September 1, 2018 State Laws and Policies

Medication Abortion

Background

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of mifepristone for early nonsurgical abortion in 2000. Since then, states have enacted several types of restrictions targeting medication abortion. Many states limit provision of medication abortion to physicians, despite recommendations from the World Health Organization and the National Abortion Federation that midlevel providers, such as physician assistants and advanced practice nurses, can safely provide medication abortion. Other states have adopted laws that require mifepristone to be provided in accordance with the FDA-approved label for mifepristone. In 2016, the FDA updated the label protocol to follow a newer regimen that offers numerous advantages to women, including making medication abortion available for an additional three weeks of gestational age. Moreover, in an effort to reach rural women, some providers began offering medication abortion services via telemedicine. However, some states require clinicians to be in the physical presence of the patient when prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. These laws therefore restrict the use of telemedicine in the case of abortion and reduce access to abortion services in rural areas.

Highlights

  • 34 states require clinicians who perform medication abortion procedures to be licensed physicians.
  • 3 states require mifepristone to be provided in accordance with the FDA protocol.
  • 19 states require that the clinician providing a medication abortion be physically present during the procedure, thereby prohibiting the use of telemedicine to prescribe medication for abortion remotely.
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For more information

  • Public Policy Office

    202 296-4012
    [email protected]

Topic

United States

  • Abortion: State Policies on Abortion

Geography

  • United States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Related Content

Policy Analysis

Medication Abortion Restrictions Burden Women and Providers—and Threaten U.S. Trend Toward Very Early Abortion

Guttmacher Policy Review
Research Article

Abortion Incidence and Service Availability In the United States, 2011

Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health

Monthly State Policy Updates

Get an overview of state legislative and policy activity in all topics of sexual and reproductive health.

Learn More

Medication Abortion

STATE

MUST BE PROVIDED BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN

BANS ALL MEDICATION ABORTION

 MUST BE PROVIDED USING FDA PROTOCOL

PRESCRIBING CLINICIAN MUST BE IN THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF PATIENT

 

Alabama

X

 

 

X

Alaska

X

 

 

 

Arizona

X

 

 

X

Arkansas

X

 

§

X

Delaware

X

 

 

 

Florida

X

 

 

 

Georgia

X

 

 

 

Idaho

X

 

 

 

Indiana

X

 

 

X

Iowa

X

 

 

▼

Kansas

X

 

 

X

Kentucky

X

 

 

 

Louisiana

X

 

 

X

Maine

X

 

 

 

Maryland

X

 

 

 

Michigan

X

 

 

X

Minnesota

X

 

 

 

Mississippi

X

 

 

X

Missouri

X

 

 

X

Nebraska

X

 

 

X

Nevada

X

 

 

 

North Carolina

X

 

 

X

North Dakota

X

 

X

X

Ohio

X

 

X

 

Oklahoma

X

▼

▼

X

Pennsylvania

X

 

 

 

South Carolina

X

 

 

X

South Dakota

X

 

 

X

Tennessee

X

 

 

X

Texas†

X

 

X

X

Utah

X

 

 

 

Virginia

X

 

 

 

West Virginia

 

 

 

X

Wisconsin

X

 

 

X

Wyoming

X

 

 

 

TOTAL

34

0

4

19

▼  Enforcement permanently enjoined by court order; policy not in effect.
§    Enforcement temporarily enjoined by court order; policy not in effect.
†    Texas law allows a provider to use medication levels recommended by  the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as of  January 1, 2013.

 

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