Policy Principles

We envision a future where abortion is not only legal but also accessible, affordable, and free from criminalization, stigma, or fear. Everyone should be supported in getting the care they want and need, no matter who they are, how much they earn, where they live, or where they come from.

To get there, Abortion Access Now is committed to advancing the most expansive policies possible, especially for those who were left behind even before Roe v. Wade was overturned in the Dobbs decision. The AAN vision includes three pillars: a right to abortion throughout pregnancy; expanded coverage to eliminate cost barriers; and elimination of coverage barriers for immigrants.

1. Coverage: Eliminating Cost Barriers to Abortion Care

The right to abortion means nothing without access. Even before the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion was not accessible for many people. AAN ensures that abortion is covered in federal health programs like Medicaid by permanently ending the Hyde Amendment, removing financial barriers, and ensuring that no one is denied care because of cost.

2. Restoring Access to Abortion Care for All

Even before the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion was not accessible for many people, especially immigrants. Immigrants are part of our communities. They are our neighbors, and when we all have equal access to healthcare, it lifts up all of our communities. AAN believes that access to Medicaid, Medicare, and other key federal health programs for lawful permanent residents (green card holders), DACA beneficiaries, and other federally authorized immigrants must be restored. AAN envisions that immigrants, who pay taxes and contribute to our communities, should once again have access to the same health care coverage, including abortion coverage, as everyone else.

3. Access Without Exception: Ensuring the Right to Abortion at Any Stage of Pregnancy

Every pregnancy is different, and every person deserves access to the care they need, when and where they need it, without arbitrary government interference. The current patchwork of different state laws will not solve the reproductive healthcare crisis we face—in fact, it allows for dangerous abortion bans and creates chaos and confusion about who can provide care and where care can be accessed. AAN believes in a guaranteed right to abortion care throughout pregnancy nationwide, ensuring that patients, not politicians, make decisions about their own healthcare. With a new federal right to abortion, we can strike down the state abortion bans enacted in the wake of Dobbs and the multitude of restrictions that made abortion care inaccessible for many, even before Dobbs.