Experts from leading women's reproductive health, rights and justice communities agree: birth control and abortion access in this nation is abysmal. And that's simply based on the fact that women who do not have access to abortion care are three times more likely to fall into poverty, and that number increases each day, with the added restrictions placed on abortion care in a majority of U.S. states. It disproportionately affects low-income people, young people and people of color.

An audio press conference titled "Is Roe a Reality for All?" was facilitated by experts: Kate Stewart, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Advocates for Youth; Elizabeth Nash, Senior State Issues Associate at the Guttmacher Institute; Kalpana Krishnamurthy, Policy Director at Forward Together; and Lindsay Rodriguez, Communications Manager at the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF). Together, these women addressed the changing climate of abortion access, the current landscape of laws impacting access to reproductive health services, the exuberant and escalating costs of abortions, the long-term effects of a lack of safe abortion care and classist framework of abortion ahead of the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Roe v Wade.

Roe vs. Wade isn't a reality for countless women, particularly as restrictions limiting the coverage of abortion make it impossible, as the likelihood of receiving that service greatly depends on an individuals' location.

Thirty-five states presently don't cover Medicaid coverage, 38 states require parental involvement before having an abortion, and only 17 states use state funds to provide all or most medically necessary abortions. Politicians in 10 states have enacted law-restricting insurance coverage of abortions in all private insurance plans, and politicians in 25 states have restricted abortion coverage in plans offered through insurance exchange. In just the last four years, states have enacted 231 abortion restrictions.

"Each year around the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which legalized abortion in the United States, we reflect on the significant achievement for women's health and rights," said Stewart during the press conference. "After 42 years, the real question we ask today is, 'Is Roe a Reality for All?' I don't think I'm spoiling any surprises by starting with the answer. Simply and resoundingly the answer is no -- not by any stretch of the imagination. A legal 'right' to abortion is meaningless if it's been restricted to the point that it's out of reach."

Year after year, federal and state politicians continue to build blockades (physical and financial restrictions) that make abortion services high-priced or unobtainable, making it impossible to receive quality care. House Bill 2 (HB2), which will affect the women of Texas, is burdensome legislation that deliberately closes health care clinics that provide abortion care. Women in Texas must meet ridiculous requirements (required ultrasounds and/or experienced life endangerment, rape or incest) before they obtain an abortion. The number of women living more than 200 miles from a clinic offering abortion care in Texas increased from 10,000 in May 2013 to 290,000 by April 2014, and ASC requirements will push that number to 752,000. The distance means that many women will have to travel an up to a five-hour round trip just to get safe, legal care. And the cost of gas, a bus ticket, hotel or child care means that many women have to pawn their belongings just so they don't have to commit themselves to a role as parent, which they're not yet equipped to play.

"Right now, I can tell you that in every city and state, a woman is selling her belongings, using money she needs to pay her rent, weighing whether to have her electricity or heat cut off, going hungry -- so she can try to cover the cost of an abortion," said Rodriguez. She and her family are doing everything they can to raise the money, but a woman working a low-wage job very often will not be able to raise enough."

National Network of Abortion Funds and Forward Together are sparking conversations about building strong communities through policies that empower women, and making abortion care accessible, whether she's enrolled in government funded or private health insurance. And the need to restore public insurance coverage has pushed All* Above All to unite organizations and individuals to build support for lifting bans that deny abortion coverage, and mobilize to end unnecessary political interference.

So far, Seattle, New York City, Philadelphia and Cambridge have passed resolutions calling for the lifting of abortion coverage bans -- and that's greatly due to the work of organizations that are hard-pressed to unconditionally promote the needs of women. The same work needs to be done in Texas and beyond.

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