The ACT has become the first Australian jurisdiction to offer free universal access to abortion services, prompting calls for the rest of the country to follow suit.
From Thursday, ACT residents who wish to access abortion healthcare will be able to do so without charge, regardless of whether they have a Medicare card.
The healthcare service will be available for surgical and medical abortions up to 16 weeks’ gestation and will cost $4.6m over four years. Free long-acting reversible contraceptives will also be offered at the time of an abortion.
Surgical abortions can cost hundreds of dollars, with Medicare rebates covering some of the costs. The cost can go as high as $8,000 without a Medicare card.
A medical abortion, where medication is used rather than surgery, is usually cheaper but is only available up to nine weeks’ gestation and can still cost up to $350 without a Medicare card.
Financial assistance is available, but the criteria for eligibility are stringent and funding relies on philanthropic donations.
MSI Australia, the largest provider of abortion and contraceptive services in Australia, has partnered with the ACT government to provide the service.
There is no national data collected on abortions, leaving medical researchers to rely on estimates. The most recent estimate for Australia and New Zealand was 15 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age.
Surgical abortion has decreased with the rise of medical abortion, which can be prescribed through telehealth, helping to overcome some of the geographical barriers to healthcare. By the end of 2021 there were 3059 prescribers of MS-2-Step, the main medication prescribed. Researchers have found no increase in the estimated abortion rate due to the availability of medical abortions and believe that overall, abortion rates are declining.
But there are still barriers to universal reproductive healthcare across the rest of the country.
South Australia, which only decriminalised abortion last year, offers free surgical abortions but only for people with a Medicare card.
MSI Australia deputy medical director, Dr Catriona Melville, called for the ACT scheme to be adopted throughout the country.
“The ACT is the first jurisdiction to adopt universal access for all people, including those on temporary visas,” she said.
“We would like to see other states and territories follow the ACT’s lead and properly fund abortion and contraception care.
“Every week, we see women and pregnant people who have been turned away from publicly funded health services.
“Every week, we speak to women who struggle to pay for abortion and contraception care.
“Abortion in Australia is now legal but it’s not always accessible. We need other states to step up and fund universal abortion access.”
