PLANNED PARENTHOOD SUES TO EXPAND ABORTION ACCESS IN ALASKA

Lawsuit challenges Alaska's unconstitutional telehealth abortion ban

ANCHORAGE, AK - Today, Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaiʻi, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) filed a lawsuit challenging Alaska's unconstitutional ban on telehealth abortion. Alaska law currently bans clinicians from evaluating patients via telehealth so that patients can have a medication abortion at home or another location of their choosing - a safe, effective, and widely used form of care. Patients in Alaska seeking medication abortion are instead forced to travel to be seen in person, a medically unnecessary requirement that delays and denies patients' access to care. This telehealth ban violates the Alaska Constitution, which protects the fundamental right to abortion. This lawsuit comes as another case filed by PPGNHAIK is pending in front of the Alaska Supreme Court, in which a trial court has allowed advanced practice clinicians to provide abortion, which has expanded the pool of practitioners who can provide abortion care.

Telehealth is a proven, modern tool for delivering care, and today more than 1 in 4 people in the U.S. who have an abortion do so using this model. PPGNHAIK operates the only two health centers that publicly provide abortion in Alaska, located in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The state's telehealth ban forces all Alaskans seeking medication abortion to travel to one of those health centers - despite the state's massive size and many rural and remote communities - for in-person care, even though doing so is typically not medically necessary.

More than 60,000 Alaskans live off the road system and can only travel by plane to reach Anchorage or Fairbanks, and only when weather permits. Many of those who do live on the road system still must drive hundreds of miles round-trip to reach a health center, putting essential health care services out of reach. Beyond transportation concerns and expenses, patients often face lost wages due to missed work and incur childcare costs, further compounding the financial strain and creating significant barriers to timely care.

Statement from Rebecca Gibron (she/hers), President and CEO, PPGNHAIK:

"Today, on behalf of the patients who need care, we're challenging Alaska's unconstitutional telehealth ban. The State Constitution guarantees the right to abortion, and this ban delays and denies that time-sensitive care, forcing patients to travel for in-person appointments, despite it not being medically necessary for most patients. The restriction creates unnecessary barriers that fall hardest on people in rural and remote communities, survivors of violence, and those already facing economic hardship - sometimes barring patients from care entirely. Simply put, this telehealth ban is yet another unnecessary barrier to abortion access, and Alaskans deserve better.

"At a time when Alaska faces a critical health care provider shortage, the state should be working to improve access to care by expanding telehealth services, not restrict it. We will never stop fighting to ensure Alaskans can exercise their constitutional right to abortion, no matter what."

A link to the complaint can be found here and the brief seeking a preliminary injunction here.

PPGNHAIK is represented by attorneys from Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Alaska, and the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.

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Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai'i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) is a leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. The organization operates health centers in Alaska, Hawai'i, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Washington and provides medical services and sexuality education for thousands of people each year. PPGNHAIK is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and relies heavily on charitable donations to ensure our patients' ability to determine their own destinies and receive the health care they need.

Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With around 550 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.

The ACLU of Alaska defends the civil rights and liberties of all Alaskans through litigation, advocacy, and community engagement. We strive to create a more equitable state by partnering with a diverse network of Alaskans dedicated to preserving the rights guaranteed by the U.S. and Alaska Constitutions. The ACLU of Alaska, founded in 1971, is one of the 53 state ACLU affiliates that strive to make the Bill of Rights real for everyone and to uphold the promise of the Constitution-because freedom can't protect itself.

For more than 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes on the toughest civil liberties fights in pursuit of liberty and justice for all.