Examining the cost for women to get an abortion once NC's new law takes effect
Most people in the state who get abortions have them before 12 weeks, newly released data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows. While they will be able to get the procedure still under the new law, they'd be impacted by a different addition.
When North Carolina’s new abortion law goes into effect on July 1, there will be a change to the state’s mandatory 72-hour rule. A phone consultation required by current law at least 72 hours before an abortion would have to be held in person under the new law. The bill also adds a post-abortion doctor's appointment.
For many people in the state, having this procedure already includes traveling long distances possibly hours to get to the closest clinic. There are 13 in North Carolina. However, 91 North Carolina counties without an abortion clinic and no access to one in the eastern part.
The latest state data shows that more than 3,300 people living in eastern North Carolina had abortions in 2021. However, because of the lack of accessibility to a clinic, zero were performed there. For residents in those counties, the closest clinics are in Wake County or Wilmington.
The WRAL Data Trackers looked at time and distance from some locations in eastern counties to the closest clinics.
- Kinston to Raleigh - 89 miles or 90 minutes each way
- Morehead City to Wilmington - 99 miles or two hours each way
- Nags Head to Raleigh - 199 miles or three hours
With the hours that the clinics are open, it likely means missing a day of work. The in-person consultation requirement and post-procedure check-in, that really starts to add up to more than $1,100, according to the website budgetyourtrip.com.
The site shows the average cost of a hotel in Raleigh for three nights comes out to $385; gas costs $35; three meals over three days is about $225 and a medical abortion - which is the most common procedure completed in the state - ranges from $350 to $650.
This’ll be the reality for many North Carolinians.
Over the last few years, three clinics have closed.
Even though some physicians and hospitals perform this procedure, national data shows six out of every 10 abortions take place in a specialized abortion clinic.
