Oregon Gets Abortion Patients From Out-Of-state

Anticipating an abortion ban in Idaho, Oregon lawmakers earlier this year created a $15 million fund to increase access to abortion services. Northwest Abortion Access Fund, a nonprofit that helps patients pay for travel and the procedure itself, has been tapped to receive the first $1 million. Amidst growing demand for travel funds, NWAAF exhausted its planned operating budgets for this year and had to approve additional emergency funds to meet the need. Its service region includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.

Planned Parenthood leaders in Oregon on Thursday said there has been a surge in the number of people traveling from out of state for abortions, including from neighboring Idaho, where most of a near-total abortion ban has taken effect.

Oregon, along with Washington and California, has sought to establish the West Coast as an abortion safe haven, pledging to welcome patients traveling from states where the procedure has been banned or greatly restricted. Shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, the Democratic governors of the three states issued a joint “multi-state commitment,” saying they will work together to defend abortion access and protect patients and providers.

There is still a Planned Parenthood in Oregon. Bend is the site of the sole Planned Parenthood clinic serving the eastern half of Oregon, a vast, rural area. The small clinic, which has has issues with staffing shortages and limited scheduling availability, is hiring more personnel and expanding telehealth services to respond to the growing demand.

Speaking at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Portland, Oregon, alongside Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Udall said Planned Parenthood was “fully committed” to serving people from Idaho and other states.

The states unified and as part of their “West Coast offense” to protect abortion, California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order preventing state agencies from sharing information, including patient medical records, in response to out-of-state investigations of abortion. Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a directive prohibiting state police from cooperating with such investigations.