title: Out-of-pocket costs and insurance coverage for abortion in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since 1976, federal Medicaid has excluded abortion care except in a small number of circumstances; 17 states provide this coverage using state Medicaid dollars. Since 2010, federal and state restrictions on insurance coverage for abortion have increased. This paper describes payment for abortion care before new restrictions among a sample of women receiving first and second trimester abortions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from the Turnaway Study, a study of women seeking abortion care at 30 facilities across the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thirds received financial assistance, with those with pregnancies at later gestations more likely to receive assistance. Seven percent received funding from private insurance, 34% state Medicaid, and 29% other organizations. Median out-of-pocket costs when private insurance or Medicaid paid were $18 and $0. Median out-of-pocket cost for women for whom insurance or Medicaid did not pay was $575. For more than half, out-of-pocket costs were equivalent to more than one-third of monthly personal income; this was closer to two thirds among those receiving later abortions. One quarter who had private insurance had their abortion covered through insurance. Among women possibly eligible for Medicaid based on income and residence, more than one third received Medicaid coverage for the abortion. More than half reported cost as a reason for delay in obtaining an abortion. In a multivariate analysis, living in a state where Medicaid for abortion was available, having Medicaid or private insurance, being at a lower gestational age, and higher income were associated with lower odds of reporting cost as a reason for delay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out-of-pocket costs for abortion care are substantial for many women, especially at later gestations. There are significant gaps in public and private insurance coverage for abortion.
authors.affiliation: Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California. Electronic address: robertss@obgyn.ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah C M
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.affiliation: Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimport
authors.affiliation: Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Tracy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.affiliation: Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Diana Greene
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003669:Deductibles and Coinsurance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005865:Gestational Age; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult