I have a question about Planned Parenthood

[RanchGirl]

If I am informed correctly, PP also provides services to teens.

Doctors won't take teen patients without a parent.

Not all teenage girls have parents they could turn to.

 

I believe this is correct. The only time I have been in a Planned Parenthood clinic was when my friend called me to pick her up after she had an abortion. She was 15, I was 16. Her parents were certainly able to pay for health care but she did not want them to know.

[Farrar]

I didn't see anyone say that?

It certainly wasn't what I was implying. Obviously, if we needed the emergency room we wouldn't hesitate to go, which is made less stressful by the financial aid available where I live. But so far I've only gone a few times, DH has gone once, and Astro is the only kid to have gone. The kids have insurance, though. :)

 

But in effect, you explained that you are able to get low cost care through your hospital without insurance. I think that used to be more common and now is not. And there seems to be a prevailing misconception among people who can find that type of care and among people who don't need it that's common when it's actually not at all.

[Roadrunner]

Ok. Like, they don't offer any financial aid at all?

I'm not trying to be dense, I promise! I just know that here, looking at the amount of income they have on there, you would qualify for drastically reduced bills - up to 100% - at the hospital, too.

Again, I'm NOT trying to be dense. :) Thanks!

 

ETA: Oh, and when I say the hospitals, the same applies to the doctors and offices that are part of their 'network', so to speak. Like, I go to the obgyn at ___ which is all part of a hospital, and there are tons of specialties and everything - from primary care to urology to oncology - whatever. :)

This is the only place I've lived since being married/taking care of my own bills and stuff, so I just wasn't sure if this was the norm everywhere. I know my 'normal' isn't necessarily the same elsewhere. :)

 

I didn't read all the responses. Around here when you call the Dr. office the first thing they ask is insurance. If you don't have insurance, you can't get appointment. Some doctors accept cash upfront. That's it. I know lots of people who get their annual checkups there because they don't have insurance and they can walk in, donate $50 and get checked. Around here if we didn't have PP, many people wouldn't get basic care.

[stripe]

Not every office. Like I posted above, they would not help me with irregular periods, and even though that was 10+ years ago, I checked and that same office still only offers help with contraceptive care.

I can only dream of a world where everyone has access to good and affordable care. Planned Parenthood obviously is not enough, however much they may help some people with birth control.

[Renee in NC]

But in effect, you explained that you are able to get low cost care through your hospital without insurance. I think that used to be more common and now is not. And there seems to be a prevailing misconception among people who can find that type of care and among people who don't need it that's common when it's actually not at all.

 

I think you are misunderstanding. Here, where I live, you can qualify for financial assistance through the hospital, but this applies to ALL of the affiliated doctors and clinics. So, the hospital's financial aid covers routine care, chronic problem care, etc. because every specialist known to man is affiliated with the hospital system I am talking about. It isn't just the ER (which, of course, you can use if you need that level of care.)

[AdventureMoms]

Yeah, that is sooo not how it works here. When the twins were born we got seperate bills for the birth from the midwife (who saw her in the early part of labor), the OB (who actually delivered baby A), the surgeon (who delivered baby B), the anesthesiologist, the pediatrician on the regular maternity floor, and the NICU doctor, in addition to the bill from the hospital itself. Actually we got two bills from most of those (except the midwife) because there were two babies. Each billed insurance individually. Then insurance decided that two babies with the same last name and birthdate were impossible so it refused to pay baby B's bills (this was Aetna, a HUGE company. This cannot be their first set of twins, FCOL)

 

My mom works for a doctor's office inside a hospital. The doctors she works for (4 of them) all work at the hospital and part of their salary is paid through the hospital. They do NOT accept patients without insurance unless the patient can pay cash up front (full price). They don't do financial aid or anything like that. I've never heard of a OBGYN practice around here doing any sort of financial aid either.

 

The teen thing is a big deal too. I know someone who went as a teen for a morning-after pill when she'd had a condom break. She was 13. Her alternative was to just see what happened, because there was no way she was going to tell her parents. They also helped her get on better birth control and get services for some other gynecological problems she had been having but was not willing to discuss with her parents. It would have been great if she'd had more supportive/understanding parents, but a clinic that could at least care for her medical needs was better than nothing.

[lmrich]

I also used PP two months before I got married. I had just graduated and was working summer camp before I started my teaching job. I had NO money for proper healthcare, and they provided me with a pap smear and birth control pills. I am so glad that they exist and hate when people think that they perform only one service. They truly helped me plan parenthood.

 

And no hospital would have given me routine care then.

[momma2three]

I think you are misunderstanding. Here, where I live, you can qualify for financial assistance through the hospital, but this applies to ALL of the affiliated doctors and clinics. So, the hospital's financial aid covers routine care, chronic problem care, etc. because every specialist known to man is affiliated with the hospital system I am talking about. It isn't just the ER (which, of course, you can use if you need that level of care.)

 

Wow, that's really amazing. Do you have a link about this program?

[PeacefulChaos]

I think you are misunderstanding. Here, where I live, you can qualify for financial assistance through the hospital, but this applies to ALL of the affiliated doctors and clinics. So, the hospital's financial aid covers routine care, chronic problem care, etc. because every specialist known to man is affiliated with the hospital system I am talking about. It isn't just the ER (which, of course, you can use if you need that level of care.)

 

Yes, this is what we have here. :)

(I'm the OP) :)

[Joanne]

I don't think this is true. At my hospital, you can apply for free or reduced fee care. Once (if) that has been granted, you can call for an appointment. Once that has been given you go and get an exam. If you need other tests, or referral, that may or may not be included in your reduced fee.

 

My application for my husband's reduced rate (or free) care is approaching 9 months old.

[Audrey]

I can only dream of a world where everyone has access to good and affordable care. Planned Parenthood obviously is not enough, however much they may help some people with birth control.

 

You dream of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Brazil, Chile, China... and on... and on... and on... and on...?

[astrid]

You dream of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Brazil, Chile, China... and on... and on... and on... and on...?

 

:iagree:

 

astrid

[Farrar]

I think you are misunderstanding. Here, where I live, you can qualify for financial assistance through the hospital, but this applies to ALL of the affiliated doctors and clinics. So, the hospital's financial aid covers routine care, chronic problem care, etc. because every specialist known to man is affiliated with the hospital system I am talking about. It isn't just the ER (which, of course, you can use if you need that level of care.)

 

No, the point I'm making is that such programs (to treat people through hospital systems - whether ER's or otherwise) exist some places and not others and that there is a casual assumption by some people that they exist everywhere.

[PeacefulChaos]

No, the point I'm making is that such programs (to treat people through hospital systems - whether ER's or otherwise) exist some places and not others and that there is a casual assumption by some people that they exist everywhere.

 

True.

That's why I asked. :)

[mlbuchina]

Hmmm.... Let me try to be specific without being too specific (because I don't like to put my location on here :) )....

I went to the obgyn that was affiliated with a hospital in a city near us. I walked over to that hospital to have bloodwork done during my pregnancy, and it's all on one big campus, so to speak - I also had my kids at that hospital and Pink was in the NICU there. She went to follow up appointments with a pediatric cardiologist at the affiliated children's hospital, as well as NICU follow ups (which were actually at a separate place - the Children's Hospital, where her follow ups were, while all a part of the same 'network' of hospitals, is in another part of town). I also go to the opthamologist (sp? Yikes! :lol: ) that is affiliated with them, as do my boys. The obgyn and opthamologist, as well as various other specialties, are on different floors of an office building, I guess you'd call it - they call it the ____ clinic.

 

Our local hospital is similar. DH went to the doctor here, and he's actually merged with the hospital, so it's not 'Family Medicine of ___' anymore, it's 'Hospital Name Family Medicine'. So he was able to take advantage of the financial assistance that the hospital provides.

 

It's looking like this isn't the norm most places, based on the reactions? :)

 

The hospitals and doctors and specialists are set up like that here, too. You can also go a to a doctor's office out in town that is not "under" a particular hospital, but they usually have privileges somewhere.

 

I couldn't speak to the financial side of things, as I have always had insurance through my dh's work. Before that, my parents' paid for my health care. I married pretty much out of highschool.

 

ETA: I don't know much about PP, so I can't speak to that either.

[Joker]

The hospitals and doctors and specialists are set up like that here, too. You can also go a to a doctor's office out in town that is not "under" a particular hospital, but they usually have privileges somewhere.

 

 

 

The hospitals and doctors here are set up the same way, in the sense that they are mostly all housed inside the hospital park. They just have different office parks. I can go to the dr. and walk across the lot to the lab at the hospital for blood work. I can then take the skywalk to dds' drs and/or specialists. I can go to a doctor in town but it is still part of the hospital. They all have privileges at the hospital. It is all billed separately though. There is no financial 'umbrella' for billing that allows me to get aid in all of those places. The only aid I've ever been offered or approved for were payment plans. I'm so glad I had PP, otherwise I would have went four years without ever having an annual or bc.

[FairyMom]

And I'm really, seriously curious. I know that PP can be a very politically heated subject, so I hope I don't get in trouble, but I've been wondering about this for a long time, so here goes....

 

Why is PP necessary? Couldn't people go and get the same treatment at the hospital?

Here's why I ask: Around here, the hospitals all offer financial screenings and financial aid applications. They're based on what you make and stuff. So I don't see how PP would be any more affordable in this case.

Now, is this not the practice everywhere? If it's not, then I do get why PP is considered so vital to women's health (along with other low cost clinics and stuff, though I really don't know what those entail - it is my understanding that the health department offers free mammograms or gives vouchers or something? Idk, I'm not really clear on it....)

Anyway, I'm not trying to be ignorant or start a debate about anything. I'm honestly asking if it is not the norm for hospitals to offer what I'm accustomed to.

Thanks! :)

 

Truthfully, I've never been. I have, however, had amazing insurance and really never needed their services. They do give cheap birth control pills after a doctor's exam (at the time I think it was $3). Considering Viagra was covered by my insurance, but birth control wasn't, I think it's a great organization for women who have no access to women's health (mammograms, yearly exams/pap smears/physicals, birth control, etc.)

[FairyMom]

You dream of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Brazil, Chile, China... and on... and on... and on... and on...?

 

Yes, sadly, we are the only western democracy on the planet without good healthcare for all. But that would be the evil socialism, right? :glare:

[Element]

I didn't read all the responses. Around here when you call the Dr. office the first thing they ask is insurance. If you don't have insurance, you can't get appointment. Some doctors accept cash upfront. That's it. I know lots of people who get their annual checkups there because they don't have insurance and they can walk in, donate $50 and get checked. Around here if we didn't have PP, many people wouldn't get basic care.

 

:iagree: Exactly this.

 

Also, PP accepts Medicaid as a form of payment whereas many private offices do not (or those that do are so full they no longer accept new patients.)

[kubiac]

When I was in college, I didn't know the details of how my visits to the student health center might be reported to my parents, and I was too shy/neurotic to ask, so I just went to Planned Parenthood for privacy. The idea of my dad seeing a bill for even a Pap smear just mortified me.

 

They were very kind to me at PP and I was so grateful to have the option to go there.

Edited October 3, 2012 by kubiac

[Jean in Newcastle]

I went to them for testing and medical care after my s*xual assault. I was told to go there by my doctor's office. I'm not sure why they wanted me to go there rather than the doctor's office but I got good care.

[redsquirrel]

I went to them for testing and medical care after my s*xual assault. I was told to go there by my doctor's office. I'm not sure why they wanted me to go there rather than the doctor's office but I got good care.

 

As someone who worked with victims of assault, I can tell you that many medical providers feel uncomfortable working with assault victims. Places like Planned Parenthood are seen as having more expertise in 'those issues'. Or, your dr couldn't get you in right away. Or they were concerned they might be called in to testify and most Drs don't like doing that. Or, if you wanted evidence collected, a medical office prob doesn't have the collection kit sitting around. It has to be collected in a very specific manner, and some Planned Parenthoods offer to do that in a community. Or, they thought an assault victim might need a long appointment and they have a cap on how many mins they can spend with patients. Or the doctor didn't see that as part of providing health care.

 

There are any number of issues that prob didn't have anything to do with you specifically.

 

I am glad you got some medical care. I am truly sorry that you were assaulted.

[Mergath]

The hospitals in areas where I've lived definitely don't have any kind of financial aid for low-income people. In some cases, they'll write off part of your bill if you have a gigantic one for an ER visit or something, but that's all.

 

I went to PP regularly in college, and I think they're wonderful. They did my paps, breast exams, gave me birth control, handled my abnormal pap stuff... We have groups around here that occasionally stand around the PP and scream at everyone who goes in, and it must be horrible to have to go through that to get a pap done, or to pick up your bc pill refill. :(

[Kate in Arabia]

I went to PP before I got married to get NFP information. They gave me a bunch of printed materials, including charts, and a basal thermometer.

[goldberry]

Peaceful, it was great of you to ask this question. I too often use this board to try to understand "the other side" of things.

 

Too many people think they already know so why bother...

[LittleIzumi]

And I'm really, seriously curious. I know that PP can be a very politically heated subject, so I hope I don't get in trouble, but I've been wondering about this for a long time, so here goes....

 

Why is PP necessary? Couldn't people go and get the same treatment at the hospital?

Here's why I ask: Around here, the hospitals all offer financial screenings and financial aid applications. They're based on what you make and stuff. So I don't see how PP would be any more affordable in this case.

Now, is this not the practice everywhere? If it's not, then I do get why PP is considered so vital to women's health (along with other low cost clinics and stuff, though I really don't know what those entail - it is my understanding that the health department offers free mammograms or gives vouchers or something? Idk, I'm not really clear on it....)

Anyway, I'm not trying to be ignorant or start a debate about anything. I'm honestly asking if it is not the norm for hospitals to offer what I'm accustomed to.

Thanks! :)

 

Heck, when I went to a regular doc they told me to go to PP for an IUD since my insurance wouldn't cover it and I couldn't afford anything close to that. The doc said PP was MUCH cheaper. I've never ever heard of going to a hospital clinic and asking them to lower their massive costs to give me something I can afford. Anytime we go to the hospital we end up in debt to them for ages.

[justLisa]

Heck, when I went to a regular doc they told me to go to PP for an IUD since my insurance wouldn't cover it and I couldn't afford anything close to that. The doc said PP was MUCH cheaper. I've never ever heard of going to a hospital clinic and asking them to lower their massive costs to give me something I can afford. Anytime we go to the hospital we end up in debt to them for ages.

 

I got my first IUD there because I did not want to find a new doc and just wanted to get one asap. And you know what? I got my second at my midwives office and I wanted to DIE. It took longer and at PP I had no pain. I wonder if they just do more of them or something.

[LBS]

When I was a young adult, I did volunteer work at a Planned Parenthood in a large city. They had doctors who volunteered their time and saw patients for anything within the gyn area, except to follow thru with a whole pregnancy. They would refer pregnant people out, for full-term care, local docs (teaching hospital town, so lots of docs) would take a certain number for reduced rates, I think. I was the receptionist, and pulled files, checked in patients, etc. There were lots of college kids, some high school kids, and maybe 20% older ladies (to me, that would have been 30 or older, I guess.) If a woman found out she was pregnant, she was given counseling by trained, paid people, who counseled equally on what the three options were: keep the baby, have the baby and place him/her for adoption, or abortion. Then they referred to agencies, and made the first appts, according to the wishes of the woman. Sometimes they would have multiple sessions counselling a woman, I noticed. They did not arrange abortions, nor did they handle pre-natal care, except to give pre-natal vitamins. They only helped women with their gynocological care: pelvic exams, testing and meds for STDs, birth control prescriptions, and education. HUGE quantities of educational materials. I was not allowed to do anything but minor receptionist work, and a couple times there were girls whose rides could not stay very long, so I took them home and dropped them off. Not until years later, did I hear or understand that people objected to PP, which I knew, from my experience of this one office, to be a vital service for women. I guess different offices have different services.

 

Addressing OP's original question: there are six major hospitals in this area, and several smaller ones, and clinics. I am not aware (but I would not be, I admit) of any clinic for free or low-cost care, at all, attached to any hospital. There are state clinics in every county, where pre-natal care is offered, as well as immunizations for children, and they will test and prescribe for STDs, but will require your real name, at most of those. There is one near a huge college that does not require proof of your real name. I don't know if you have to prove you need help to get their pre-natal care.

[stripe]

You dream of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Brazil, Chile, China... and on... and on... and on... and on...?

 

Frankly, not really. They've addressed their citizens' healthcare needs. I am concerned about countries that have not. I dream of a world where 1 million children no longer die annually because of diarrhea. Where children aren't dying of malaria. Where children aren't losing their vision due to insufficient vitamin A. Where the 1/5 of humanity that has no toilet at all to use, now has a hygienic way to dispose of their waste instead of having it contaminate their drinking water. Where diabetes is diagnosed before it ravages the body. Where cervical cancer -- regularly caught in annual exams in some countries -- stops being the leading cause of women's deaths in some areas. Where postnatal mortality is dramatically reduced. Women's health statistics in the US are certainly not like those of Western European women. There are drastically higher unintended pregnancy rates, higher infant mortality, and so on. The utter lack of a decent healthcare system for soooo many American women is part of what makes PP valuable -- it is an affordable place to seek care for one's reproductive system, aside from the abortion issue. If everyone had a fantastic doctor, great insurance, and so forth, I think usage of PP would be lower. Heck, if contraception were used more often, there would be fewer abortions as well. So, yes, I dream of a world (not a few countries) where everyone has access to good and affordable care.

 

And I certainly wouldn't import the Chinese method of family planning, which includes forced abortions of 7 mo pregnant women.

[countrygal]

Thank you all for your answers. PP seems to get a bad rep. when ever on the news and such. I don't think abortion should be legal, but I like the other options and education they provide for those in need. I didn't know what they really did until now.

[Lisbeth]

I will never be able to get past founder Margaret Sanger's eugenic racial cleansing plans. The origin intent is awful to me.

[Mergath]

I will never be able to get past founder Margaret Sanger's eugenic racial cleansing plans. The origin intent is awful to me.

 

True, but given how much good the organization does now, it wouldn't make sense to say, "I want to defund PP because the woman who created its parent organization had horrible views almost a century ago."

[Denise in Florida]

Ok. Like, they don't offer any financial aid at all?

I'm not trying to be dense, I promise! I just know that here, looking at the amount of income they have on there, you would qualify for drastically reduced bills - up to 100% - at the hospital, too.

Again, I'm NOT trying to be dense. :) Thanks!

 

ETA: Oh, and when I say the hospitals, the same applies to the doctors and offices that are part of their 'network', so to speak. Like, I go to the obgyn at ___ which is all part of a hospital, and there are tons of specialties and everything - from primary care to urology to oncology - whatever. :)

This is the only place I've lived since being married/taking care of my own bills and stuff, so I just wasn't sure if this was the norm everywhere. I know my 'normal' isn't necessarily the same elsewhere. :)

 

Nope, it does not work that way here. Sounds like you are in a great place! yay!

 

The best you can hope for here is to ask them to bill at the insurance rate not the cash rate.

 

BTW, I am a huge fan of the rural care clinics which Planned Parenthood provides. In many cases they aren't just the low cost alternate they may be the ONLY care around.

[dbmamaz]

afraid to post anything after all those deleted . . . but the PP where I went as a teen for BC did not do abortions, either, they only did counseling sessions and handed out lists of clinics that did do them. I went as a teen because i was afraid to ask my parents to pay for a doctor's visit for BC. They probably would have said yes, so i felt a little guilty getting the reduced rate for the pill.

[Mom2Es]

Couldn't people go and get the same treatment at the hospital?

Here's why I ask: Around here, the hospitals all offer financial screenings and financial aid applications. They're based on what you make and stuff. So I don't see how PP would be any more affordable in this case.

Now, is this not the practice everywhere?

 

Our PP doesn't do mammograms and stuff, only referrals. BUT for lower-cost providers of run-of-the-mill needs, I'd recommend seeking out a midwife or a birth center before going to a hospital. We have a free-standing birth center in our area that is staffed by CNMs, and they do general gynecology services in addition to maternity care. They're a more flexible option than the hospital from a financial standpoint.

 

I also know of at least two CPMs (lay midwives) in my area who can do basic annual exams and they're upfront about the cost and don't have a huge mark-up. They can't prescribe meds, but they can have some tests run. Actually, I used one of them for prenatal care during my last pregnancy, and the physician she collaborates with refers patients to her for bloodwork.

[JeneralMom]

As soon as I moved to the USA I got insurance and maintained it except for a 4 month period between when my student insurance ended and DH's insurance for his new job started. Of course, it was 4 days after my student insurance ended that I discovered I was pregnant. No one would see me without insurance or medicare, even the midwife group who had delivered my other three babies. I knew I was eligible for the state plan as both DH and I were out of work for a few months (between the end of his grad school and us moving to TX for his new job) and did apply for it, but the wait was up to 2 months and I needed to be able to prove I was pregnant through a doctors confirmation. My only option was PP. The clinic in our college town provided all kinds of women's care but not abortions. Still the receptionist had to be behind a locked, plate glass window (this was in Kansas so I understand why they were so careful). They were wonderful, provided excellent care, got the results to me quickly and even offered to call the state medicare program with the results if it would have sped things up. I would definitely have used them for routine care if I had found myself without insurance again.

 

(I am so happy to be back in a country with socialized medicine so I don't have to worry about insurance issues anymore.)

[OnTheBrink]

Our state has a free mammo/pap program for women who are either not insured or are under insured. Financial standing doesn't matter. I used that program once and the mammo was done at the hospital I now work for and the pap was done at PP. The state is, I believe, 2 years behind in paying it's bills, yet the hospital still agrees to participate in the program. I've no idea how many "free" mammograms the hospital has given, and honestly, as corrupt and broke as this state is, the prospect of the hospital actually being paid is dim.

 

The hospital system I work for has 3 hospitals in 3 towns, 15 clinics in 5 towns, and 4 urgent cares. I know that if you go to urgent care, you can ask to be billed. When they send the bill, if you can't pay it, you can take it to patient financial services and discuss either a payment plan (they have several plans), or have it written off completely, depending on your situation. Last year alone, this hospital donated $12M in "charitable" care. I get that a lot of hospitals don't work like that (our competitor doesn't, and ironically, is losing money whereas my employer brought in $14M in profit and is adding on to the hospital facility, improving OR's, building more private patient rooms and overhauling some older parts, as well as building a new education facility. It is a teaching hospital). If you came to the ER wanting a pap and b/c, they'd most likely send you to the medical school's clinic or PP. But they'd not toss you out the second you were stabilized due to lack of insurance or ability to pay.