Planned Parenthood of Illinois is partnering with a telemedicine abortion provider to expand access to the procedure in Illinois.
The organization is working with Hey Jane, a national virtual abortion provider that has mailed abortion medications since 2021.
The partnership provides Hey Jane patients access to Planned Parenthood's procedural abortion care, and Planned Parenthood patients can now connect with Hey Jane for medication abortions.
The two organizations hope the arrangement helps more people in Illinois access reproductive health care. Demand for abortion pills spiked in the state and nationwide after Donald Trump's reelection in November.
“This pivotal moment for abortion access demands that we think innovatively about how to quickly, safely and affordably get care to as many people as possible," Kiki Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Hey Jane, said in a statement.
“Illinois has long been a haven for reproductive health care, and our hope with this partnership is that we can address the current — and future — influx of abortion-seekers to the state by supporting anyone who would be a good candidate for telehealth while making it easier for those requiring in-person attention to connect with PPIL.”
A medication abortion involves taking two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, over the course of a couple of days. Hey Jane has helped over 70,000 people access reproductive care since the organization began three years ago.
“We understand how important it is for people to have abortion access," Jennifer Welch, the president of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, said in a statement.
"Hey Jane is a reliable, efficient and confidential medication abortion service that provides the quality health care people have come to expect from PPIL. This partnership means easier access to the abortion care people need and deserve.”
Patients using Hey Jane connect with a licensed medical provider, and the medications are quickly and discreetly mailed to them. For people in Illinois, they can have the meds sent to their Illinois address or they can pick them up at a Planned Parenthood health center.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Hey Jane accept private insurance and offer financial assistance for patients who need it. Planned Parenthood also accepts Medicaid and provides no-cost abortion care for qualifying Illinois residents.
