Press Release

New NAPAWF Research Finds Rising Costs and Immigration Fear are Blocking Healthcare Access

October 29, 2026

OUR STATEMENT

Today, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), in partnership with Ibis Reproductive Health (Ibis) and Physicians for Reproductive Health (PRH), released a new research brief documenting findings from two complementary studies examining health care exclusion from patient and provider perspectives.

The brief, The Cost of Exclusion: How Barriers to Health Care Affect Patients, Providers and the Health Care System, draws from a survey of 35 health care providers across 18 states and Washington, D.C., as well as small-group discussions with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) abortion seekers, abortion support workers and providers. Among the findings, 89 percent of surveyed providers identified cost or lack of insurance coverage as a barrier to abortion access, underscoring how affordability can determine whether patients receive the care they need at all.

The findings also capture the experiences of AANHPI individuals navigating an increasingly complex health care landscape. Some abortion seekers reported being unaware that medication abortion at home was an option, while others emphasized the importance of discussing sensitive health information in their preferred language. Providers also described how concerns about immigration enforcement, privacy and family or community judgment can discourage patients from seeking care, attending appointments or disclosing necessary details.

“No one should have to choose between getting the health care they need and compromising their safety or financial stability,” said Christina Baal-Owens, Executive Director of NAPAWF. “For too many women and immigrant families, seeking care means worrying about affording treatment, being understood, or putting their loved ones at risk. We need a health care system that prioritizes women’s well-being instead of forcing them to face these barriers alone or potentially face life-threatening consequences.”

Additional key findings from the brief include:

• 89 percent of surveyed providers identified language access as a barrier to abortion care, while 80 percent cited a lack of knowledge about legal rights or available abortion services.
• Another 77 percent identified misinformation or difficulty finding correct information as an obstacle.
• 74 percent of surveyed providers identified fear of immigration enforcement as a barrier to abortion access. One provider reported an estimated 30-50 percent no-show rate during periods of increased enforcement activity.

“Health insurance coverage and proximity to brick-and-mortar clinics are important and also insufficient to ensure access to quality care in a timely manner,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, President & CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health. “Our research shows the ways that providers are left to fill the gaps when people struggle to navigate a system that isn’t meeting their needs, and is instead leaving people to deal with fear, isolation, and imperfect or inaccurate information. What begins as a missed appointment or postponed treatment due to the chilling effect of anti-immigrant violence can turn into a much more serious health concern; our communities should be able to get care when they need it, without barrier or delay.”

The findings reveal how barriers to care can have consequences across the health care system, from more complicated and costly treatment to increased demands on providers and hospitals that are already stretched thin. Addressing these challenges requires system-wide investments in affordable health care coverage, reliable interpretation services, patient navigation, and other resources that increase access, rather than leaving patients and providers to navigate them individually.

“We hope this research contributes to an important conversation about making the investments needed to expand access to high-quality reproductive health care,” said Ruvani Jayaweera, Senior Research Scientist, Ibis Reproductive Health. “By understanding what patients and providers are experiencing on the ground, we can take the necessary steps to build a more equitable and responsive health care system.”

The full research brief is available at prh.org/resource/cost-of-exclusion