Mail forwarding and other options

People use mail forwarding (also called a virtual mailbox) as one way to access abortion pills. They use a telemedicine service in another state and a mail forwarding service to get pills mailed to their home. It takes about one week to get the pills this way. The $45-55 it costs is often much less than the gas to drive to another state. It saves on taking off from work or finding babysitting. Since the pills are recommended for up to 11 or 12 weeks from the last period, there is often time. Here is an example of how one person did this.

‍FIRST: She checked our map of states. She found a state that has telehealth abortion services. She chose California because it had many services.

SECOND: She set up a "virtual mailbox" in California. She used PostScan Mail. (CAUTION: We have received reports that some PostScanMail locations with addresses in Los Angeles, CA and Tijeres, NM will not forward packages that contain medicine. There are many other locations to choose from.)

• She filled out a form with her personal information and home address.
• The virtual mailbox used this information to fill out a USPS form that gives them permission to handle her mail. She signed the form.
• The cost for a virtual mailbox was about $35. This included $15 for one month mailbox rental plus a $20 online notary fee for the form.
• The virtual mailbox company provided the online notary service. She used her webcam for the brief online notary meeting (connecting by phone camera was also possible).
• She needed to show two forms of ID, one with a photo.
• She needed a credit card.
• She needed an email address or phone number.
• It was easy to set up.
• It took a few days to get approved. She waited until she got email confirmation that it was set up before doing the telehealth consultation.

THIRD: She checked our Guide to find a telehealth abortion service in California (where she had the virtual mailbox).

• She chose a telehealth service that did not require a video visit, because it was more convenient. Services that do not require a video visit include: Aid Access, CHOIX, Forward Midwifery, Full Circle Health Center, Hey Jane, Lilith Care, and Pills by Post. [NOTE: Abortion on Demand does not ship to post office box or virtual addresses.]
• She filled in the online consultation form. She had to show her ID.
• She listed her new virtual mailbox address in California as the shipping address for the abortion pills.
• She paid the telehealth fee using a credit card. They asked for the billing address for the credit card. She gave them her home billing address.

FOURTH: She watched her virtual mailbox account in California so she would know when the package arrived.

• She asked for it to be forwarded to her home address.
• She had to choose between USPS, FedEx, and UPS forwarding services.
• There was a fee for this (about $15-20).
• It was easy.
• The forwarding service gave her a tracking number. She checked it so she would know what day her pills would arrive.
• The pills arrived at her home a few days later.

FIFTH: She cancelled the virtual mailbox so that she would not be charged another monthly fee.

Some people use a telemedicine service in another state and drive across state lines to pick up the pills. Here is an example of how someone did this.

FIRST: They checked our map of states and found a neighbor state that has telehealth abortion services (Illinois was closest).

SECOND: They checked our Guide to find a telehealth service in Illinois.

• They chose a telehealth service that did not require a video visit, because this was most convenient. Services that do not require a video visit include: Aid Access, CHOIX, Forward Midwifery, Full Circle Health Center, Hey Jane, Lilith Care, and Pills by Post. [NOTE: Abortion on Demand requires a video visit and requires you to be physically located in the state that allows telehealth. It will not work for this option.]
• They filled in the online consultation form. They had to show their ID.
• They paid the telehealth fee using a credit card. They listed their home address when asked for the billing address for the credit card.

THIRD: When the provider asked where to send the pills, they gave a friend’s address in Illinois.

• They were careful to tell the provider to address the package to their name followed by "c/o Friend's Name" and then the full address.
• This helps the Post Office deliver it correctly.
• They also could have used a general delivery post office address (see below). Or they could have gone to the clinic to pick up the pills, but their friend’s house was closer.

FOURTH: Their friend told them the package arrived. They went to their friend’s house to pick up the package. Their friend offered to re-send the package to them, but it was faster for them to drive.

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Some people use a “general delivery” address in another state and drive across state lines to pick up the pills. Here is an example of how someone did this.

FIRST: They checked our map of states and found a neighbor state that has telehealth abortion services (New Mexico was closest to them).

SECOND: They checked our Guide to find a telehealth service in New Mexico.

• They chose a telehealth service that did not require a video visit, because that was most convenient. Services that do not require a video visit include: Aid Access, CHOIX, Forward Midwifery, Full Circle Health Center, Hey Jane, Lilith Care, and Pills by Post. [NOTE: Abortion on Demand will not ship to General Delivery addresses.]
• They filled in the online consultation form. They had to show their ID.

• They paid the telehealth fee using a credit card. They listed their home address when asked for the billing address for the credit card.

THIRD: When the provider asked where to send the pills, they gave a “general delivery” address in a town that they could easily get to. General Delivery is a free service at many US Post Offices. It is a way to receive mail when you don’t have a physical address. Here’s how they did it.

• They looked at a map to see what city or town in New Mexico would be easiest to get to.
• They checked the USPS website to make sure the post office in that town accepted general delivery mail (some don’t).
• They asked the telehealth service to send the pills to their general delivery address. A general delivery address looks like this:
  
  Your Name (as it appears on your ID)
  General Delivery
  City, State, Zip Code

FOURTH: They used the package tracking information provided by the clinic to find out when the package was delivered to the General Delivery Post Office. Then, they went to the Post Office in New Mexico to pick up the package.

• They made sure to go at a time when the Post Office business window was open. Check hours at the USPS website. Note: most Post Office business windows are not open on weekends.
• They made sure to take ID that matched the name on the package.
• They told the postal worker they had a general delivery package and the postal worker gave it to them after checking their ID.