How much abortion typically costs and how to access one in your state

The cost of abortion can depend on your state, the type of abortion, and the clinic performing it.
Timing can also affect abortion cost — you'll typically pay more after the 13th week of pregnancy.
Many clinics and nonprofit groups offer financial assistance to people who can't afford an abortion.

If you're considering getting an abortion, you may have a lot of questions — including what you can expect the financial burden to be.

The cost of an abortion can vary widely by state. What's more, laws are constantly changing, making it difficult to find a reliable estimate of how much an abortion will cost.

Generally speaking, the cost of an abortion can range from $350 to $1,500 or more, depending on:

The type of abortion you get
Where it's performed
How far along into the pregnancy you are

Determining if and where you can access an abortion can be complicated enough — you shouldn't have to worry about a cost barrier, too. Remember, though: you're not alone in navigating this.

A doctor or OB/GYN, your health insurance provider, and reproductive health organizations or clinics can help you figure out how to get an abortion that's affordable for you.

Here's what to know about abortion costs and the many factors that affect them.

Cost based on abortion type

There are two main types of abortion: Medication (medical) abortions and surgical abortions. Here's what's involved for each and about how much they cost.

Medication abortions

This type of abortion is only done up to around the 9th week of pregnancy. Your doctor will give you a combination of two different medications, which you'll take orally or vaginally within a 48-hour period. You may take the first medication in the office and the second at home. Together, these medications stop the pregnancy from growing and cause the uterus to empty out.

The average cost of a medication abortion is $560 but can be as high as $750, according to Planned Parenthood. This can vary significantly based on your specific region of the United States. The South Atlantic US has the lowest median price, $490, while the West North Central region has the highest median price, $730.

Surgical abortions

You'll need to have a surgical abortion after the 10th week of pregnancy. There are two types of surgical abortion:

A suction aspiration abortion, the most common type of surgical abortion, involves numbing and dilating your cervix before emptying your uterus using gentle suction from a vacuum.
A dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion involves emptying the uterus with suction and using surgical tools to remove any remaining pregnancy tissue. Your doctor may perform this abortion after the 14th week of pregnancy.

The average cost of a surgical abortion is $549, but it can range widely depending on when and where it's performed, as well as how far the pregnancy has progressed. Again, it can also vary based on where you live: first-trimester surgical abortions cost the least in the South Atlantic region ($492) and the most in the West North Central Region ($755).

Keep in mind, too, that you'll typically need to pay extra for sedation. At Planned Parenthood, a surgical abortion using only local anesthetic to numb the cervix costs $40 less than the same procedure using conscious sedation.

Cost based on timing

The further your pregnancy progresses, the more your abortion will likely cost. For example, the average cost of a first-trimester surgical abortion is $575, while the average cost of a second-trimester surgical abortion is $895. The cost of an abortion at 20 weeks may cost more than twice as much as an abortion at 10 weeks.

At a Planned Parenthood in Washington, D.C., the cost of an in-clinic abortion ranges as follows:

Weeks 4-13: $578 - $688
Week 14: $798
Weeks 15-16: $1,128 - $1,568
Weeks 17-18: $1,678 - $1,788
Weeks 19-20: $1,898 - $2,008

Cost based on provider

You can get an abortion at any of the following facilities:

Hospital
Clinic
Doctor's office
Telehealth platform (medical abortions only)

The cost can vary slightly depending on where you choose to have the abortion performed.

Planned Parenthood's costs vary from location to location — but a medication abortion at the Washington, D.C. clinic costs $578. A surgical abortion ranges from $578 to $2,008, depending on how far along the pregnancy is.

At a doctor's office, you may pay more or less than you would at a clinic like Planned Parenthood. This cost may depend on whether you can use insurance, among other factors.

Do telemedicine abortions cost less?

Telehealth abortions typically entail having a virtual consultation with a doctor before they mail the medication to you.

Beyond the convenience factor, telehealth abortions often cost much less than an in-clinic abortion. But again, you can only receive a medication abortion before the 10th week of pregnancy, and only in certain states.

Currently, 19 states require the clinician to administer a medication abortion while in the same room as the patient receiving the abortion.

However, if you live in one of the 31 states that haven't restricted access to telehealth abortions, you may be able to complete a medication abortion in the comfort of your own home.

A few of the organizations that provide telemedicine abortions include:

Planned Parenthood: $578
Carafem: $250-375
Aid Access: $110
Abortion on Demand: $239-289
Hey Jane: $249 (New York and Washington state only)

Some, but not all, of these organizations also offer financial assistance to help with the cost of a telemedicine abortion.

Does insurance cover abortion?

If you have state or private health insurance, it may cover some or all of the cost, according to Healthinsurance.org licensed broker and analyst Louise Norris.

Some providers only cover abortions in very specific cases. Due to the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid can't cover abortions unless the pregnancy is life-threatening or resulted from rape or incest.

That said, 15 states currently allow the use of nonfederal funds to help cover the costs of abortion. If you have Medicaid or private health insurance, abortion coverage will depend on your particular plan and where you live, Norris says.

Just know your plan might only cover an abortion after you've met the deductible.

Considering a telemedicine abortion? Keep in mind that not all health insurers cover telehealth services. Even if yours does cover them, that coverage may not extend to telehealth abortions. Contact your health insurance provider to find out if your plan will cover this option.

Determining the cost of an abortion

There are several ways to get more information about what an abortion costs in your area.

Dr. Kelly Culwell, a board-certified OB/GYN in private practice, recommends first calling your doctor's office to get an estimate of how much the procedure will cost. They can also help you check whether your insurance will cover at least some of the procedure's costs.

You can also contact your nearest Planned Parenthood health center for more details on the cost of abortion and available funds that might help cover the costs.

How to avoid crisis pregnancy centers

While searching for an abortion provider, you may come across crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). According to Culwell, these organizations may look like abortion clinics, but they're actually aimed at talking people out of terminating their pregnancies.

"CPCs often provide false information about the safety of abortion and are usually not staffed with medical professionals," Culwell says.

Staff at these centers might also delay you from proceeding with an abortion until it becomes too late for you to get one.

You might find it challenging to spot these organizations on your own, but you can use this map to verify which locations are considered CPCs.

"If you are speaking with someone who is not presenting all of your options and seems very biased against the option of abortion, then you should seek care elsewhere," Culwell says.

How to get support paying for an abortion

If you need an abortion but can't afford one, don't worry — you may have options for financial assistance.

According to Culwell, some clinics provide a sliding scale payment system for those who don't have insurance. At Planned Parenthood, for example, fees for abortion services are based on your income, so in some cases, you may pay nothing at all.

Even if you aren't eligible for free services, you may qualify for reduced fees. Planned Parenthood staff can also fill you in on any local programs that may help cover the out-of-pocket cost.

Non-profit abortion funds throughout the country can also help cover part of the abortion costs. Culwell recommends visiting abortionfunds.org to find one of these organizations and learn more about income-based discounts on abortions.

More resources

Whether you want more information on abortion costs, financial assistance for your abortion, or details about abortion providers near you, these resources may prove helpful:

Insider's takeaway

The cost of an abortion can vary quite a lot depending on the type of procedure, where you live, your insurance coverage, and how far along the pregnancy is. As a general rule, surgical abortions are more expensive than medical abortions, and abortions cost more the longer you've been pregnant.

If you have health insurance, it never hurts to start by calling your provider and confirming how much of the procedure, if any, your plan will cover. You can also check with your doctor's office or local abortion clinic to confirm the costs and find out whether they offer income-based sliding scale fees.

If you're still unable to afford the procedure, a good next step involves researching abortion funds, which may be able to help cover some of the costs.

Read the original article on Insider