Abortion
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This means that states decide whether to allow abortion. In California, abortion is legal and available.
Abortion refers to the process for ending a pregnancy. There are two types of abortions:
- In-clinic abortion is a safe and effective medical procedure that ends a pregnancy. It is done in a provider’s office or hospital. Learn more about in-clinic abortions.
- Medication abortion is when medicines are used to end a pregnancy. No procedure is involved, and the medicine can be taken either at home or a healthcare provider’s office. You can get the medicine within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. Your provider can give you a prescription to pick it up at the pharmacy or get it through the mail. Learn more about medication abortions.
How to get abortion services
HPSM covers abortion services, which means HPSM members can get abortions at no cost. You do not need prior authorization or a referral from your primary care provider (PCP) to get an abortion. To get an abortion you can:
- Talk to your PCP to see if they offer abortion services. If they don’t, they may be able to refer you to an abortion provider.
- Talk to your obstetric (OB) provider to see if they provide abortion services or can refer you as needed.
- Schedule a visit at a Planned Parenthood clinic or the Mission Bernal Women’s Clinic.
Abortion and mental health
Deciding to have an abortion can bring up unexpected feelings. If you want help with these emotions, there are services that can support you.
- Call the All-Options Talkline at 1-888-493-0092. It offers no-cost peer counseling to callers who would like to talk about past or current experiences with abortion (as well as adoption, parenting, not being able to get pregnant or pregnancy loss).
- Doula services are available to HPSM members at no cost during and after abortion. Doulas give emotional and physical support during pregnancy, childbirth and after the end of a pregnancy. Abortion doulas can support pregnant people choosing to end a pregnancy. Learn more about HPSM’s doula services.
- Call the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) ACCESS Call Center at 1-800-686-0101. They will ask you some questions to assess your mental health. Based on your needs, they can refer you to a mental health provider. Learn how to get mental
health care.