Accessing reproductive health care in Illinois just got a whole lot easier.
Hey Jane, a United States-based virtual clinic that provides reproductive and sexual healthcare — including abortion care — announced today that it is now accepting Illinois Medicaid for medication abortion services.
Nationally, 45% of abortion patients are enrolled in Medicaid, with Illinois Medicaid covering over 3.4 million residents, many of whom face barriers to health care.
This is the latest of many groundbreaking moments for the provider, which last year became the first clinic to accept private insurance for telemedicine abortion care.
With this announcement, Hey Jane now accepts both public and private insurance in Illinois, with sights set on expanding Medicaid coverage in other states.
“By accepting Illinois Medicaid, we’re ensuring that cost is no longer a barrier for people seeking abortion care in one of the nation’s key haven states,” Hey Jane’s co-founder and CEO Kiki Freedman told Good Good Good.
Freedman added that following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022, in-person clinics in Illinois experienced a “significant influx of patients traveling from surrounding restrictive states, stretching their capacity.”
Illinois is a “sanctuary state” for reproductive care, which makes it a destination for folks seeking abortions from surrounding areas that have stricter laws in place. According to Freedman, Hey Jane, too, has seen a 93% increase in patients in Illinois compared to pre-Dobbs.
However, that strain on the reproductive healthcare system in Illinois can lead to even more barriers for people in need of abortion care.
“Hey Jane, alongside other providers, has stepped up to fill these gaps,” Freedman said, “offering safe, private, and affordable care to meet the growing demand.”
Hey Jane is known for its telemedicine support, which allows patients to access medication abortion care in a timely manner and without additional costs for travel, accommodations, and lost wages.
Freedman said that a medication abortion at an in-person clinic in Illinois costs $490, on average.
“Abortion care is time-sensitive,” Freedman said. “Our virtual model allows patients to complete intake 24/7 online, hear back from a provider within one business day, and get abortion pills mailed to them quickly and discreetly, all while having Hey Jane’s expert clinical care team always just a text away.”
Medication abortion care includes administering pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol, which are a safe and effective way to terminate a pregnancy at home. Platforms like Hey Jane provide support with licensed telemedicine providers, who can prescribe these medications, as well as counseling, as patients navigate the procedure.
According to a press release, since Hey Jane’s launch in 2021, the platform has helped over 70,000 patients access the care they need. Hey Jane is available in 20 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
“Accepting Illinois Medicaid is a crucial step in addressing rising demand and ensuring that reproductive healthcare is financially and logistically accessible,” the press release added.
Expanding Medicaid coverage is also a “top priority,” for Hey Jane, according to Freedman, who said that the company is actively working to accept Medicaid in more states.
“While each state has unique barriers, we’re committed to doing the work to ensure Medicaid patients across the country have access to the high-quality telemedicine abortion care they need,” she said.
Ahead of President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January of next year, reproductive health experts continue to work around the clock to ensure people have access to the care they need.
It is unclear what the future of abortion care will look like during Trump’s second presidency, though some say Republicans will attempt to enforce the long-dormant Comstock Act, which makes it a federal crime to send or receive materials “designed, adapted, or intended” for “obscene,” or “abortion-causing” purposes, per The New York Times.
This, as well as potential nationwide restrictions on abortion mentioned by officials during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, could heavily impact the work of providers like Hey Jane, which ship medication abortions nationwide.
But according to Freedman, the work to provide life-saving care continues.
“We’re committed to continuing to work to address barriers to care in the year ahead — regardless of the political climate,” she said in a statement.
Freedman added that this work includes “expanding both Medicaid and private insurance coverage, launching services in more states, and expanding our strategic partnerships to ensure that we’re able to support as many people as possible during this critical time.”
Header image courtesy of Hey Jane
