COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A virtual reproductive care clinic that offers abortion pills recently launched in Ohio, drawing backlash from a state nonprofit organization.
Hey Jane, a telehealth company that was founded in 2021 and serves 21 states, began offering its services to Ohio in February. The company offers FDA-approved abortion medication, birth control, emergency contraception, UTI medication and more, shipped to patients' doors.
Kiki Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Hey Jane, said the company's expansion into Ohio is a pivotal move, as the state is becoming a destination for abortion care after residents voted to protect access to the procedure in 2023.
"Our main goal in Ohio is to provide an additional option for people, including those who prefer not to travel to or wait for an appointment at in-person clinics, which are already overwhelmed with demand," Freedman said.
Ohio has nine in-person abortion clinics, which serve the state's population of nearly 12 million. People may also come to Ohio from surrounding states that have abortion bans with few exceptions, including Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Telehealth abortions are becoming increasingly common, according to a 2024 report from #WeCount, a research project led by the Society of Family Planning. The organization found that there was a 155% increase of abortions provided via telehealth from the second quarter of 2023 (22,430) with the second quarter of 2024 (57,150).
Hey Jane is not the only telehealth abortion provider in Ohio, according to AbortionFinder.org. The website says a total of seven online clinics operate in the state.
Ollie’s acquires 40 more Big Lots stores; other locations face restructuring hurdlesTwo days after Hey Jane’s launch, the nonprofit group Ohio Right To Life filed a complaint with the Ohio Department of Health and State Medical Board, saying the company is violating a state law that requires an in-person visit with a physician before abortion medication is distributed.
“This website is putting Ohio women’s health at risk,” said Emma Martinez, director of legislative affairs at Ohio Right to Life. “Hey Jane is breaking Ohio’s law and throwing women’s health to the side, only caring about their agenda to push abortions on women.”
Ohio Right to Life also addressed concern about the safety of telehealth abortions in a news release, stating they reduce "physician oversight" and screenings for potential complications.
However, Freedman said Ohio Right to Life’s complaint is “without merit,” since the state law banning the prescription of abortion pills through telehealth was blocked by a Hamilton County judge before it took effect in 2021 and is still on hold.
"We are disturbed and disappointed by their intentional effort to misinform and mislead Ohioans about the legality of Hey Jane's care in Ohio,” Freedman said.
Hey Jane connects patients with its providers, which include licensed doctors, clinicians, nurses and patient care advocates with experience in reproductive services. A user can receive care after filling out a health questionnaire and communicating with a provider over a phone call, video call or email. In 2023, the company became the first telemedicine abortion provider to accept insurance.
U.S. Department of Education targeting Ohio State University for antisemitismIf Hey Jane determines a patient needs in-person care, they are referred to one of their clinical partners in the state. The company asserts patients' information is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and that treatments are shipped in discrete packaging.
"Ohioans should have access to high-quality, evidence-based abortion care without unnecessary delays or financial burdens," Freedman said. "Hey Jane is breaking down barriers and ensuring more people get the care they need."
Patients do not need to be a resident of a state where Hey Jane is accessible but need to physically be in the state to have medication shipped to them.
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