US virtual healthcare provider launches abortion referral services

The US virtual healthcare provider CirrusMD has launched new abortion referral services to help women access abortion care safely.

CirrusMD aims to expand access to care for all people, especially those who feel underserved by the US healthcare system.

The platform will help women access abortion care in places where the medical procedure remains legal, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade in June 2022.

This announcement comes at a time of heightened employee interest in abortion access.

According to an October 2022 survey by Catalyst, a nonprofit organisation focused on advancing women in the workplace, 59 per cent of US workers want more transparency from their employers about their reproductive benefits.

Julie Nugent, SVP for strategic solutions and products at Catalyst, noted that employees are “making decisions based on how their own company—or perhaps a prospective employer—and leaders are addressing both abortion access as well as reproductive care.”

CirrusMD has partnered with Abortion On Demand (AOD) to support women who need an abortion.

AOD’s telehealth platform is in full regulatory compliance and provides medication abortion to women in need, promoting accessible and equitable abortion services.

Jamie Hall, president and CEO of CirrusMD, said: “We want to help employers who are looking for the best ways to care for their employees’ needs, across a wide range of services, including reproductive health.

“Leading employers recognise the need to support their employees beyond the work environment, with an expanding range of benefits and services. With CirrusMD, employees who need an abortion have direct access to safe and empathetic care.”

In addition to offering a full range of virtual care services, the company continues to build partnerships with other solution providers to extend the broadest array of healthcare services, explained the CEO.

In May 2022, Politico reported a dramatic increase in the number of people turning to online providers for abortion pills and information on consultations for the drugs, as Republican-controlled states planned to limit access to abortion services.

Faced with new abortion policies and increased demand, many care providers had to adapt and find new ways to deliver critical services.