The upcoming elections continue to bring up concerns about reproductive care
Washington has accommodated an increase in out-of-state abortion patients since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022. While Washington has upheld its reproductive care laws, the upcoming election could further restrict access in neighboring states like Idaho.
Currently, Idaho has a ban on abortions, with exceptions for life-threatening emergencies and victims of sexual assault and incest. Planned Parenthood clinics close to the Idaho border see primarily out-of-state patients, according to Eowyn Savela, director of public affairs for Mount Baker Planned Parenthood.
“Washington state has seen a 50% surge in out-of-state patients since the Dobbs decision, according to research by the University of Washington,” Savela said. Washington has maintained its reproductive care and welcomed patients from out of state who lack access in their home states.
“I am delighted that our state is staying strong in our convictions of people having the right to access and make decisions about their own bodies,” said Hilary Schwandt, a Western Washington University professor who studies reproductive care in Africa and Washington. “I was surprised that our state was so public about that and was also public about inviting people to come to our state for care.”
The number of abortion patients from Idaho increased by 56%, according to 2023 data from Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho shared with Sen. Maria Cantwell, an advocate of protecting access to abortion.
Idaho has continued to put restrictions on reproductive care with its 2022 Defense of Life Act, preventing hospitals from providing emergency abortions. The ruling of Idaho and Moyle, et al. v. United States on June 27 overturned this act, but reproductive care access remains a concern.
The services of Planned Parenthood and other organizations continue to be available to out-of-state patients coming to Washington, said Tim Pfarr, communication director of the Washington State Hospital Association.
“If anybody is coming across state lines seeking that care, hospitals have always been there and available to care for them,” Pfarr said.
However, Washington’s inclusive approach presents a challenge, The state is already experiencing a staffing shortage in the medical field, Pfarr said. Washington is short about 6,000 nurses, due to fewer people entering the field and an aging population requiring care.
While Washington’s staffing shortages aren’t related to changes in the law, that is not necessarily the case in other states. Medical personnel in Idaho are worried about new laws that may hamper them from providing medical care that the state may now deem illegal, Pfarr said.
An analysis of reproductive care hotlines showed that many people are worried and unaware of their rights, Schwandt said.
“They are scared to do something that will then perhaps lead to legal trouble in their state,” Schwandt said.
Hot topic
Reproductive rights have been a much-discussed topic among candidates on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.
Cantwell, a Democrat, is running as an incumbent. Her website highlights her work to protect reproductive rights. Her opponent, Republican Raul Garcia, said on his website he would uphold Washington’s status as a pro-choice state.
Vice President Kamala Harris pledged to sign a federal bill restoring reproductive freedom in her speech at the 2024 Democratic convention.
Former President Donald Trump said he would not sign an abortion ban. He has repeatedly and mistakenly maintained that leaving it up to the states was the outcome everybody wanted.
Limits to access to reproductive care can hurt health conditions overall, noted Planned Parenthood’s Savela. “Abortion bans lead to closures of family planning clinics, which result in less reproductive health care access overall and poorer health outcomes,” Savela said.
Regardless of upcoming elections, access is not under threat in Washington, Pfarr said.
“Our state has taken a lot of steps to ensure access,” Pfarr added. “The hospitals have taken a lot of steps to ensure patients are getting to the right places to access the care that they need, even if it’s not their facility.”
— By Jenna Millikan