Do Clinics treat you like a criminal???

I don't have healthcare insurance at the moment. I haven't had it in over a year. Every time I make a appointment and I mention I don't have insurance, all of a sudden their attitude changes and they treat me like I'm scum.

Does anyone else get this treatment?

I honestly don't know.  I've had health insurance for quite awhile, and when I didn't I never went to the doctor.  I guess it wouldn't really surprise me, since I'm sure there are a lot of people that won't pay up.

If you can use them, try NIP.

Dey nice.

The Manvalanche:

If you can use them, try NIP.

Dey nice.

I just checked them out. They seem like a good program. Thanks for the advice. I didn't even know they existed.

Okay okay okay okay I'LL PLAY THE BAD COP...shouldn't you be more focused on getting health insurance then starting a band?

WHOA I SOUND LIKE MY PARENTS NOOOOOOOOOO

I've gone to Aspen Bandana Square for, well, basically my entire life, much of which I've been uninsured.  They've always treated me the same (nicely) regardless of my insurance status.  You should give them a try.  651-641-7000

Here's some stuff that I learned being uninsured:

Always make appointments with nurses, never with doctors.  It's usually about 30% cheaper and the care usually is better - the tend to spend more time with you. 

If you keep going to the same place and see the same nurse, they'll take care of you.  Ex:  When I didn't have insurance and my kid got sick, our NP, knowing we didn't have insurance, would give us enough samples of whatever it was she needed to get her throught the illness. 

If you have something that you get often (like strep in my case), don't bother with nurses or doctors; ask for a lab appointment.  They used to do this for me and it would only be about $35 instead of $70. With MinuteClinics everywhere this may be a non issue now.

Call around on pharmacy prices.  The price difference for the same thing can be astronomical.  Basically, pick a Target, Walgreens and a Cub.  Anytime you have a prescription call all three. Oftentimes they are cheaper at different places; sometimes by as much as 50%

If you're going for, ahem, reproductive issues, go to Planned Parenthood.  I *think* you're a boy but for girls birth control and paps are about 1/2 the cost at PP than they are at a regular doctor's office. 

thank you I appriciate the info. I'll definitely use it.

RockinChica78:

If you're going for, ahem, reproductive issues, go to Planned Parenthood. 

Biting down...tongue...bleeding...biting...biting...

Let it out G.G.  - send me a PM.    I'd like to hear what you'd like to say...

Note: I wasn't referencing abortions when I said to go there.  Birth control and paps.  Even Catholics get pap smears. 

Toddah:

Okay okay okay okay I'LL PLAY THE BAD COP...shouldn't you be more focused on getting health insurance then starting a band?

WHOA I SOUND LIKE MY PARENTS NOOOOOOOOOO

Priceless........hahahahahhaha.........thanks for that..whoooooo 

RockinChica78:

Even Catholics get pap smears. 

Not the good ones.

(Kidding!  I'm kidding!)

No...I just hate to see people go there even though I know it makes the most economic sense.  The government funds PP based on the numbers who use the service.  The Bush Administration actually gives MORE than the Clinton one did.  I assume the next Administration will give even more.  Those dollars are spent on practices I abhor but...I may have mentioned my distaste for that a time or two already. 

Not trying to hijack the thread....this time.

PP is good for picking up chicks though, cuz at least you know that they'll put out. 

Maybe PP should do an awareness campaign.  Maybe update their slogan.  "Every woman safe and healthy. Every child wanted and loved." is so passe.

My suggestion?

"Planned Parenthood: We're more than abortion!" 

okay, I'm done with talk of planned parenthood or abortion.  I don't want to hijack this thread either, it's a good one. 

For completely random reasons, my wife and I wound up at the PP on Ford Parkway to get confirmation on our home pregnancy tests.  It was clear that they weren't very used to people there being happy about a positive result.

Josh:

For completely random reasons, my wife and I wound up at the PP on Ford Parkway to get confirmation on our home pregnancy tests.  It was clear that they weren't very used to people there being happy about a positive result.

 BLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Gary Carter:

PP is good for picking up chicks though, cuz at least you know that they'll put out. 

****best post award nominee****

Gary Carter:

PP is good for picking up chicks though, cuz at least you know that they'll put out. 

... And get an abortion afterwards if you don't pull out on time.

Win/Win. Well, other than the VD part. But you should be able to score rubbers at PP, so it's a one stop love shop.

I went to a teen clinic many times as a teen, have donated money to them many times over the years and will probably continue to do so. 

GG - I take it you don't approve of them because they provide or give referrals to girls to get abortions?  If that is your only reason for disliking teen clinics, then you are very uneducated when it comes to the many services they provide.  If there is more to it, please explain.

I'd say that teen clinincs have prevented MANY unplanned pregnancies, which may have resulted in abortion or another unfit mother on welfare.  They offer low cost birth control, you can show up without an appointment (at least when I went there they allowed that), and promot the shit out of abstinence and safe sex.  And if a sperminated girl comes into the clinic asking for an abortion, they don't just sign a referral and send them on their way.  They take time to counsel them and look into ALL options.  The teen clinic also came to our high school and would talk to the health class every semester to talk about how the only 100% sure way to not get pregnant or get STDs is to practice abstinence.  And from there, they gave information on birth control methods.  Teen clinics help the community by helping educate young adults and providing a private, confidential place to come to for a variety of things, not just sex related.  They even offer help if you are in a violent/abusive relationship, and other touchy subjects like that.

I just don't think you should judge a place that provides A LOT of good things, nor do I think you are in the position to judge it, since I'm guessing you most likely have never gone to one.  I know at the age of 14, I was afraid to make an appointment with my regular family doctor, thinking that my parents would easily find out by seeing the medical bills or hearing a voicemail from a doctor/nurse disclosing information about my visit.  Going to a teen clinic gave me the peace of mind to be able to talk to the nurses about anything and knowing that you didn't even have to pay for everything up front.

I'm done ranting.  I just get offended by people judging such a wonderful service, when they most likely haven't ever been to one of these places as a teenage patient.

 Well...I don't know anything about any "teen clinics".  I know I don't like Planned Parenthood.  I'm sure they provide all sorts of wonderful services.  Their penchant for killing babies has a funny way of trumping the good things they do IMO.  Its like arguing that Jeffrey Dahmer was a decent guy because, when he wasn't making hats out of people, he worked at a soup kitchen.

Like I said, I'm not trying to turn this into one of "those" threads.  Sorry that I offended you by judging such a wonderful service.