Planned Parenthood Advocate

Birth Control: No Matter What

Whether you have insurance, or whether you’re worried about being able to afford care, Planned Parenthood will help you get the personalized, expert care you need –including no-cost or low-cost birth control.

With many clinics open 7 days a week and some offering evening hours, the qualified health professionals at Planned Parenthood clinics work to make reproductive and sexual healthcare as convenient as possible.

“Over 64,000 people in our region choose PP for their healthcare needs. And there’s a reason for that,” said Kristin, a Registered Nurse and Planned Parenthood’s Quality Assurance Director.
Once the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, receiving comprehensive preventive health services will be easier and more affordable than ever.

Regardless of your current health insurance status, Planned Parenthood offers multiple payment options for birth control and other services.

Not sure whether you qualify or want to hear more? Click here to learn more from Kristin.

 

 

- by Shieva, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

 

New fact sheet on Obamacare to educate Minnesotans on life-saving benefits

A new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that half of Americans don’t know how the Affordable Care Act will benefit them. Moreover, 42% of Americans don’t know that the ACA is an effective law.  

In our efforts to educate Minnesotans, we’ve assembled a go-to guide on the reproductive healthcare services that will be covered under the ACA. Find our fact sheet here


Under the Obamacare legislation, 900,000 Minnesota women will have expanded access to preventive health services –including well-woman visits (annual exams), family planning, and breast-feeding support –with no co-pays. The nearly 500,000 Minnesotans who are uninsured will gain access to the healthcare they need.

Thanks to the ACA, women will have improved access to birth control. And insurance companies will no longer be able to discriminate against women.

The Affordable Care Act: Improving Women’s Health in Minnesota for Years to Come.

 

- by Shieva, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

 

Happy Valentine's Day! It's National Condom Week!

This February, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota invites you to be your own
Valentine. Love your body by taking good care of it!

Every year, National Condom Week takes place the week of Valentine’s Day. National Condom Week reminds us to always practice safer sex. Did you know, when used perfectly, the male condom is 98% effective, but the way most people use them makes them 82% effective? Make sure you use them properly every time!

Young people ages 15 – 24 account for half of all new STIs, and over the past decade Chlamydia rates have risen nearly 90% in Minnesota. Because many patients will not experience any symptoms from a STI, screenings are an important facet of safer sex practices. Planned Parenthood’s highly trained staff are experts in sexual health. Over 63,000 patients a year visit this region’s local Planned Parenthood for confidential, non-judgmental services such as STI screening, pregnancy testing and birth control supplies, including condoms.

Planned Parenthood’s 4NOW program provides condoms, STI screenings, birth control and more at no cost to eligible women seeking birth control services in Minnesota. Planned Parenthood accepts most forms of private insurance, and has payment options to meet everyone’s needs!

Planned Parenthood wishes you a healthy, happy Valentine’s Day!

 

-Kelly, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota

Feb. 20 is Pro-Choice Lobby Day and You're Invited!

On February 20, Minnesotans will join in solidarity at the state capitol for Pro-Choice Lobby Day. Supporters will rally together and meet with legislators to ensure that women’s healthcare remains a priority for a healthy Minnesota.

And this year’s lobby day could not be more critical, as the 2013 legislature will design the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchange – the online marketplace where consumers can shop for health insurance. The Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Act was introduced in early January and must be completely hammered out and signed by Governor Mark Dayton by the end of March.

February 20 marks the day where Minnesotans join the discussion. Under the healthcare exchange, thousands of people who are currently without health insurance will be able to shop around for a plan that’s best for them. It is imperative that supporters of women’s health ensure that every aspect of their healthcare is included in the exchange, from well woman visits and cancer screenings to contraception coverage and abortion care.

Pro-Choice Lobby Day will feature a Lobby 101 exercise, where you’ll get a quick training from an experienced Lobby Coach on what it’s like to visit with your representatives. After which, you’ll be invited to attend brief educational breakout sessions designed to inform you on a specific issue, give you a new perspective, and help develop the skills to talk about women’s reproductive rights with the people around you.

But remember, you do not need to be an experienced lobbyist, great public speaker or healthcare professional to attend this event or to have your voice heard. Pro-Choice Lobby Day is all about sharing your thoughts with your legislator and learning how the legislative process works.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required, so do so here.

- by Austin, Public Affairs Intern, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota

 

UN Declares Access to Contraception a Human Right

For the first time, the U.N. Population Fund’s (UNFPA) annual report, released November 14, explicitly declares family planning, including access to contraception, a universal human right.  In keeping with the UNFPA's mission to create “a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled,” this report examines both the financial and social repercussions of decreased access to contraception.

The report identifies 222 million women in developing countries as having an unmet need for voluntary family planning.  According to the UNFPA, an investment of $4.1 billion in funding to allow everyone in developing countries access to family planning would result in an annual $11.3 billion reduction in costs for maternal and newborn health.  The UN also points out a correlation between accessible family planning, increased productivity and the resulting improvements to a region’s economy.

Increased voluntary family planning access is not just an issue of economics.  Dr. Osotimehin states, “Family planning is not a privilege, but a right.  Yet, too many women – and men – are denied this human right.”  The UNFPA’s annual report identifies a number health and social factors impacted by this unmet need, including high rates of unintended pregnancy and HIV, increased infant mortality, decreased ability to attain an education and gender inequality.  According to Dr. Babatunde, Executive Director of the UNFPA, “Not only does the ability for a couple to choose when and how many children to have help lift nations out of poverty, but it is also one of the most effective means of empowering women.”

Planned Parenthood has always understood how fundamental family planning is to the wellbeing of women. In Minnesota, Planned Parenthood is proud to offer no-cost birth control for qualifying women through the 4NOW program.  4NOW also covers the cost of annual exams, emergency contraception, STI screenings and more!  Planned Parenthood accepts most kinds of insurance, and our doors are open to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.

Planned Parenthood Locations

More about 4NOW

By Kelly, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund