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Here's a case that proves Planned Parenthood's unique function. PP offers rapid HIV testing. I get a test every year because you catch that shit early, the avai

Here's a case that proves Planned Parenthood's unique function. PP offers rapid HIV testing. I get a test every year because you catch that shit early, the available treatments give you a nearly normal life. Now this last year, I didn't go to PP for my annual lady check up for reasons that are long and boring. So I asked my primary care physician during the annual everything else check up for a rapid test. She didn't have it and was surprised PP did. So instead of a finger prick I got a blood draw and waited. Weeks later I got a test report for everything else tested for (liver / diabetes / etc.) except the HIV and other STD tests. I ended up having to call to get the results. So compare the 10 minute HIV test with immediate results versus the 8 week odyssey for finding out my sexual health status. Planned Parenthood is brilliant at what they do. They do it well. Primary care physicians are shiat at reproductive health.

zadig 10y ago
Yeah, the advantage of PP is that (1) they are specialized and (2) they have a large patient volume that allows them to negotiate medical products in bulk. That allows them to provide reproductive health care cheaper and more efficiently with just as good if not better patient outcomes than any other service.
elastic_church 10y ago
Okay, that sounds like a user experience problem, of which federal funding has nothing to do with? A private organization could offer the same thing without needing to be "in network" like your PCP? I'm guessing
- rabboRubble 10y ago
  Normally, out of network means not covered by my insurance. Or covered at a greatly reduced rate. If there were a private organization that was as earnest and competent at providing full service reproductive care up to and including abortive treatments, I would definitely consider them as an option. Such an organization does not exist as of today. I can't postpone medical care until such time an organization like that exists. Ah! I have another story that demonstrates how awesome Planned Parenthood is. So I came back from overseas and needed a non-emergency but urgent visit. I had insurance. Overseas insurance. I called around to OBGYNs around town without having a local PCP. Obviously having just come from overseas, I didnt' have a local doctor. Nobody would take me. I told them I would pay 100% cash. Still no takers. Planned Parenthood did. They took my appointment, gave me a price, I paid 100% of the charge, and they filled out my foreign insurance paperwork in a foreign language. Why is Planned Parenthood so much better at providing reproductive care and so much more accessible than OBGYNs?
  - elastic_church 10y ago
    Typically companies that can depend on the state to keep the lights on offer worse service. Conceptually. This sounds like a user experience situation, a commitment to customer service, that has nothing to do with their federal funding. Yes they would have to adjust or find a real revenue stream, but I think it is mutually exclusive, unless it just simply is economically unviable. I would totally hope there is no disruption in service. I'm just trying to understand what advantages Planned Parenthood actually has in the marketplace - outside of being a political football - that prevents alternatives from being available.
    - rabboRubble 10y ago
      They have presence in every state. Granted in North Dakota, they may have only 1 office. Anywhere in the country, I'm traveling in and out of network, or find myself as an edge case with a weird situation, raped on a business trip in an unfamiliar city, I know they are there for me with unbiased medical service & care. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/local-state-offices/planned-parenthood-health-centers-by-state https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/local-state-offic... I can't think of any other reproductive service public or private that has such nationwide coverage. (Edit: sort of an afterthought... Planned Parenthood isn't the political football, it's the women in this country. I never hear about special restrictive legislation affecting the men who rely upon Planned Parenthood.)
      - elastic_church 10y ago
        I'm still scratching my head a little, so lets reframe it another way: Why isn't it news that Planned Parenthood has a monopoly on this health service contract? (Perhaps their extended operational history made them the most qualified) Why is the only part of that contract in question related to one of the services they provide? I'll skim wikipedia, I suppose. I understand the convenience they offer and I don't expect to get the answers here. I think it will be non-news after they get defunded and continue operating on a fraction of the budget, I mean, or not.

zadig 10y ago

Yeah, the advantage of PP is that (1) they are specialized and (2) they have a large patient volume that allows them to negotiate medical products in bulk. That allows them to provide reproductive health care cheaper and more efficiently with just as good if not better patient outcomes than any other service.

elastic_church 10y ago

Okay, that sounds like a user experience problem, of which federal funding has nothing to do with? A private organization could offer the same thing without needing to be "in network" like your PCP? I'm guessing

rabboRubble 10y ago
Normally, out of network means not covered by my insurance. Or covered at a greatly reduced rate. If there were a private organization that was as earnest and competent at providing full service reproductive care up to and including abortive treatments, I would definitely consider them as an option. Such an organization does not exist as of today. I can't postpone medical care until such time an organization like that exists. Ah! I have another story that demonstrates how awesome Planned Parenthood is. So I came back from overseas and needed a non-emergency but urgent visit. I had insurance. Overseas insurance. I called around to OBGYNs around town without having a local PCP. Obviously having just come from overseas, I didnt' have a local doctor. Nobody would take me. I told them I would pay 100% cash. Still no takers. Planned Parenthood did. They took my appointment, gave me a price, I paid 100% of the charge, and they filled out my foreign insurance paperwork in a foreign language. Why is Planned Parenthood so much better at providing reproductive care and so much more accessible than OBGYNs?
- elastic_church 10y ago
  Typically companies that can depend on the state to keep the lights on offer worse service. Conceptually. This sounds like a user experience situation, a commitment to customer service, that has nothing to do with their federal funding. Yes they would have to adjust or find a real revenue stream, but I think it is mutually exclusive, unless it just simply is economically unviable. I would totally hope there is no disruption in service. I'm just trying to understand what advantages Planned Parenthood actually has in the marketplace - outside of being a political football - that prevents alternatives from being available.
  - rabboRubble 10y ago
    They have presence in every state. Granted in North Dakota, they may have only 1 office. Anywhere in the country, I'm traveling in and out of network, or find myself as an edge case with a weird situation, raped on a business trip in an unfamiliar city, I know they are there for me with unbiased medical service & care. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/local-state-offices/planned-parenthood-health-centers-by-state https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/local-state-offic... I can't think of any other reproductive service public or private that has such nationwide coverage. (Edit: sort of an afterthought... Planned Parenthood isn't the political football, it's the women in this country. I never hear about special restrictive legislation affecting the men who rely upon Planned Parenthood.)
    - elastic_church 10y ago
      I'm still scratching my head a little, so lets reframe it another way: Why isn't it news that Planned Parenthood has a monopoly on this health service contract? (Perhaps their extended operational history made them the most qualified) Why is the only part of that contract in question related to one of the services they provide? I'll skim wikipedia, I suppose. I understand the convenience they offer and I don't expect to get the answers here. I think it will be non-news after they get defunded and continue operating on a fraction of the budget, I mean, or not.