Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many across the country have turned to virtual, telehealth abortion care services to fill the gap. So what exactly is virtual abortion care, and what are the differences from in person care? Northland Family Planning offers both in person abortion care at our clinics in Southfield, Westland, and Sterling Heights Michigan – as well as telehealth abortion pill services for patients who cannot visit our clinics in person. We’re kinda experts here.
First, let’s talk about virtual telehealth abortion care. These are appointments scheduled with a provider in an online call, after which the abortion pill can be shipped directly to the patient. At the instruction of their physician, the patient is then able to have their abortion at home.
Meanwhile, brick and mortar abortion clinics offer the abortion pill and surgical abortion procedures. In person appointments allow patients more options, as the abortion pill can be taken up to 12 weeks of pregnancy in our office (up to 11 weeks for telehealth patients). The abortion pill is not an option for some people, depending on their medical history. Despite telehealth abortion care taking over most national headlines – research shows that the majority of abortions still happen in clinics.
So is one option better than the other?
Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Women’s Health, speaks on the benefits and shortcomings of telehealth in the post Roe era in this article. In short, while abortion pill by mail services are an incredible asset in post Roe America, they cannot replace the need for physical clinics or mitigate the harm of abortion bans. Instead of thinking about replacing abortion clinics with telehealth, true accessibility to care depends on availability of both options.
As Amy points out, patients relying on telehealth still “need a device, an internet connection, a credit card, and—critically—a safe place to receive the pills.” For patients seeking the abortion pill by mail from Northland Family Planning, a Michigan shipping address is required. Even then, patients with an unsafe home situation due to domestic violence or housing insecurity may be unable to utilize our telehealth abortion services.
And of course, there is the issue of funding. Getting the abortion pill by mail still costs money – and abortion funds are struggling to keep up. Last September, several national abortion funding networks announced drastic cuts as donations slow and costs rise due to the impact of bans. This has left enormous strain on local abortion funds. While we are proud to partner with Reclaim, a Southeast Michigan abortion fund, to assist patients struggling to afford care – that does not solve the financial struggles of abortion patients across the nation. People of color, young people, and low income communities are most impacted by inequalities in our healthcare system. A fact made all the worse given that the Hyde Amendment prevents programs like Medicaid from covering abortion care – creating yet another barrier to access.
Northland Family Planning is proud to offer telehealth abortion services for those unable to visit us in Southfield, Sterling Heights, or Westland, Michigan. However, this service is not a replacement for patients who need or prefer in-person appointments. Abortion pill by mail services can’t bypass the harm caused by states with abortion bans – where shipment of the abortion pill remains illegal. Finally, even in states with legal abortion care like Michigan, financial barriers make obtaining abortion care inaccessible for far too many.
The only difference between virtual and in person care is what works best for each patient. Neither solve the dramatic inequities in access nationwide. For that, we must not only restore Roe. We must go beyond Roe.