New research conducted by Trinity College students in partnership with the REACH Fund of Connecticut reveals that financial barriers are forcing the majority of women seeking abortions in the state to postpone care. The anonymous survey, which gathered responses from 969 participants, found that over 80% reported delaying an abortion because of cost concerns.
Survey Highlights Financial Delays Across Insurance Types
Uninsured respondents indicated that they “almost always” experienced a delay due to lack of funds. Among those with Medicaid, 83% said they faced a postponement, while 76% of respondents with private insurance reported similar delays, sometimes extending a month or longer.
“The longer you wait, the more it’s going to cost,” said Alyce Coleman, board president of the REACH Fund. “Abortion pills work up to 10 to 12 weeks, and then it’s going to be a more complicated procedure.” Coleman noted that the average price for an in‑clinic abortion at a Planned Parenthood facility is about $600 in the first trimester and can rise to $2,000 or more in the second trimester, with some cases reaching as high as $20,000.
Additional Expenses Compound the Burden
The REACH‑Trinity project calls for greater public funding not only for the medical procedure itself but also for related costs such as transportation, childcare and lost wages. Jasmine Winters, lead community engagement coordinator at The Women’s Centers, explained that even when Connecticut’s Medicaid program covers abortion services at state clinics, patients often encounter out‑of‑pocket expenses for telehealth services, private providers, travel, delayed appointments or other logistical hurdles.
“As the cost of housing, groceries and gas continues to strain household budgets, we see patients every day who simply don’t have room for an unexpected medical expense,” Winters said.
Potential Impact of Federal Work Requirements
Winters also warned that more than 100,000 Connecticut residents could lose Medicaid coverage under new federal work‑requirement rules. “We’re deeply concerned that even more patients will face financial barriers to care,” she added. “At a time when families are already struggling to make ends meet, protecting access to affordable abortion care has never been more important.”
The study underscores the need for policymakers to consider how cost barriers affect timely access to reproductive health services, especially for low‑income families who already face economic pressures.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
