#367 – Intermountain Planned Parenthood in Billings, MT
Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
INTERMOUNTAIN PLANNED PARENTHOOD
721 N. 29TH ST.
BILLINGS, MT 59101
406-245-6075
TAPE – 367
(Dialing, phone ringing 2X)
CLINIC: Outpatient Surgical Services. May I help you?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: We do.
CALLER: Okay. Well, do you know how much that cost?
CLINIC: Well, it depends on a couple of different factors. I need to ask you some questions, okay?
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Is it for you?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: And how do you know you’re pregnant?
CALLER: Well, I missed my period. And like my last period was December 14th.
CLINIC: Okay. That was my next question.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Are you pretty regular most of the time?
CALLER: Most of the time.
CLINIC: Okay. So right now today you would be at about the end of the ninth or the beginning of the tenth week, and you would have gotten pregnant around December 28th or 29th, somewhere around in there.
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. And what city are you in?
CALLER: I live in Valentine.
CLINIC: Okay. So you would be coming to the Billings Clinic?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. And how old are you?
CALLER: I’ll be 14 in March.
CLINIC: Okay. Are your parents aware?
CALLER: No. They can’t find out at all. Like I can’t tell them. My boyfriend’s 22, and they don’t like him. They just think he’s too old for me. But if they found out that we were having sex, I don’t know what would happen.
CLINIC: Um-hmm. And is he aware that you’re pregnant?
CALLER: Yeah. He was the one that gave me your number.
CLINIC: Okay. Is he going to help you pay for it?
CALLER: Yeah. He said he was taking care of everything.
CLINIC: Okay. The earliest that I could schedule you would be in the middle of March.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: And tell me again the first day of your last period.
CALLER: It was December 14th.
CLINIC: This wheel has a way of flipping. And I said that right now today you were at the end of the 9th, the 10th. By the time we could see you, you would be in the 13th or 14th week. And at that period of time — do you have any income yourself? You’re not working.
CALLER: No, I don’t have a job.
CLINIC: Okay. No insurance? And you’re not on Medicaid.
CALLER: Right.
CLINIC: Okay. For a procedure in the 13th through the 15th week the fee would be $670.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Have you been to a clinic or seen a doctor or a nurse for pregnancy?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Okay. We would need to do an ultra sound when you come in — if you’re pretty certain about when your last period was.
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. We will do an ultra sound when you first come in, and that will be $70. We need to know what the RH factor of your blood is. That’s part of your blood type. And RH factor is usually positive or negative. If you’re negative, it can have an impact on future pregnancies, so we need to know that. And just for that it’s $10. And we do a blood test in every pregnancy called “hematocrit” that measures the number of red blood cells in your blood and determines whether you’re anemic or not. And that will be $5. And there’s a test for a sexually transmitted disease called chlamydia, and that is 25. And based on the outcome of your RH test, if your blood is negative, there would be an extra charge of $80 for that. And it’s always a good idea to bring some extra money, you know, just in case something comes up, so. And I have not been adding this up.
CALLER: Okay. Well, it’s just my boyfriend doesn’t want anybody to know. Would you guys have to tell anybody anything at all?
CLINIC: No, we don’t. However, because you’re 14 we would request that you have someone other than your boyfriend who is of age come with you and be responsible for you medically and financially.
CALLER: Oh. Well, he said that he was going to take care of everything. I don’t know of anyone else that could do it.
CLINIC: Do you have a female relative who’s older, an aunt or a sister or a cousin?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: How about his mom?
CALLER: No. He doesn’t live with his parents.
CLINIC: Okay. A friend, a teacher, a counselor?
CALLER: No. I’m homeschooled.
CLINIC: Okay. Well, in order for us to schedule it for you we do need to have an adult other than your boyfriend who will be responsible for you medically and financially, even though he is taking care of everything. That is just our clinic policy. So you need to talk it over with him.
CALLER: Okay. Well, I could probably find somebody. But if we bring cash it’s all okay?
CLINIC: We do not accept personal checks, but we do accept everything else, including cash. And you do need to pay at the time that you come in for your first appointment. You would be coming in for three appointments all together over a period of two days. Your first appointment would be on the afternoon of the first day, and then you would have two appointments the following day. One would be early in the morning, and the other one would be later in the morning or early afternoon.
CALLER: Okay. Well, after this is all done and stuff, could I get birth control so that we don’t have to go through all this again?
CLINIC: You sure can. As a matter of fact, we’re not going to let you out the door without giving you something.
CALLER: Oh, okay. But you guys wouldn’t have to tell anybody that I was on birth control?
CLINIC: Uh-uh, no.
CALLER: Okay. And you wouldn’t have to say anything about my boyfriend?
CLINIC: For what?
CALLER: Well, I don’t know. Just to anybody at all.
CLINIC: No. That’s all your business.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay? Does that help? Why don’t you talk with him and see if you can find someone besides him who can be responsible for you. And then give us a call back, and we’ll get you scheduled in. We need to do that pretty soon because we’re booking out a month ahead.
CALLER: Okay. So what was your name so that I could call you back?
CLINIC: Well, you can talk to anybody who answers the phone.
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Okay? We’re all interchangeable here. And it does take about 10 or 15 minutes on the phone to set up the appointment.
CALLER: Well, you were just so nice, I don’t know that I really want to talk to anybody else.
CLINIC: We’re all nice here (chuckle). Take my word for it. That’s what we’re in business for. Okay?
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: All right. Thanks.
CLINIC: Good luck. Bye.
***END***
#364 – Planned Parenthood in Great Falls, MT
Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
211 9TH ST. S.
GREAT FALLS, MT 59405-2115
406-454-3431
TAPE – 364
(Dialing, phone did not ring)
RECORDING: Thank you for calling the Great Falls Planned Parenthood. For your pill refill, please press 1. For appointments or to speak with one of our staff members in the office, please press 2 (dial button pressed.) Please hold.
(pause)
(Phone ringing 1X)
CLINIC: Good afternoon, Planned Parenthood.
CALLER: Hi. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: No, we don’t. I have the name of some doctors in town that do.
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: If you could hold for me, and I can just get that notebook.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay.
(pause)
CLINIC: Okay. Are you in Great Falls?
CALLER: Well, I live in Carter.
CLINIC: In where?
CALLER: Carter.
CLINIC: Carter. How far is that from Great Falls?
CALLER: About 30 minutes.
CLINIC: About 30 minutes? Okay. The doctors that we have is Dr. — I can’t even pronounce the name — Kindau (ph).
CALLER: How do you spell that?
CLINIC: It’s K-u-y-k-e-n-d-l-l. And he accepts up to 20 weeks.
CALLER: Okay. Well, now do you know how many weeks you are?
CLINIC: You’d have to do a pregnancy test and go through that. And it’s from —
CLINIC (Talking to someone else): A pregnancy test goes from the last day of your menstrual period?
CLINIC: Oh, the date that you may have conceived, that you think you possibly conceived the child. And it would go from there.
CALLER: I’m not really sure. I’m must really scared. My last period was December 14th, and I don’t know what to do.
CLINIC: December? And you’re not on the pill or anything?
CALLER: No. Well, my friend told me that since I’ll be 14 in March that they would have to tell my parents. But I can’t tell my parents at all. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he do whatever my parents need to do, and it would be all right?
CLINIC (Talking to someone else): She can come in for a pregnancy test, and it’s kept confidential.
CLINIC: Okay. If you could have your brother bring you in. And anything that’s done here is kept confidential. We only release what information and who you want us to release it to. Other than your coming here, you don’t exist. No one knows. If anyone calls, we can’t give out the information until we get a signed consent from you saying that it’s okay. So, yeah. If your brother brings you in —
CALLER: My brother? I don’t have a brother.
CLINIC: Oh. Who were you talking about?
CALLER: My boyfriend.
CLINIC: Oh, your boyfriend. Yeah, he can bring you in.
CALLER: Oh, okay. And you guys wouldn’t have to say anything about him?
CLINIC: No, no, no. Nothing. Anything that come sin here, anything that is done, is not released unless you give us permission to do so. If anybody calls here from your family inquiring if you had been here, we would tell them no.
CALLER: Okay. Well, would you guys have to tell my parents if I was having an abortion?
CLINIC: I don’t know how that works. I don’t know how you would schedule that if you do that since we don’t do them here. I know the one in Billings they have the outpatient surgical. That’d be something that you’d have to work out with the doctors. I know Dr. Joyner — can you hold for a minute, please?
CALLER: Yeah.
(pause)
CLINIC: Okay. I know the one doctor here has parental consent; it needs parental consent over 18. Now that first doctor’s name, I don’t know how he works. It doesn’t say here. So I guess if you are pregnant and you were going to have that done, I would talk to the first doctor’s name that I gave you, the K-u-y-k-u-n-d-l-l.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: And there number is 761-7924. Okay? And that’s the doctor I would choose to talk to I guess. Would you like to set up an appointment to come in and have a pregnancy test done?
CALLER: Yeah. I just have to talk to my boyfriend to see when he could take me. But if the pregnancy test ended up being that I wasn’t pregnant, would I be able to get birth control there?
CLINIC: Yes, um-hmm.
CALLER: Would you guys have to tell anybody that I was on birth control?
CLINIC: No, no. Nope, nope, nope. Everything is confidential. It’s up to you whoever you want to share the information to. That’s up to you.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: You come here — like I said, you come here and you do your thing, and you’re gone. And that’s it. We don’t see you until you come in for your next pill cycle or Depo shot or whatever birth control you’re going to choose to use.
CALLER: Okay. Well, I’ve got to call my boyfriend. And then can I call you back? What was your name?
CLINIC: Carol.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Thank you.
CLINIC: You’re welcome. Bye bye.
CALLER: Bye.
***END***
#365 – Planned Parenthood in Helena, MT
Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
1500 CANNON ST.
HELENA, MT 59601-2042
406-443-7676
TAPE – 365
(Dialing, phone ringing 3X)
RECORDING: Thank you for calling Planned Parenthood. For your pill refill, please press 1. For all other calls, press 2 (dial button pressed). Please hold.
(pause)
(Phone ringing 1X)
CLINIC: Planned Parenthood. This is Kim.
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: We do. Can I put you on hold for a moment?
CALLER: Yeah.
(short pause)
CLINIC: Sorry about that. Yes, we do.
CALLER: Okay. Well, do you know how much it cost?
CLINIC: Well, the person you need to speak with is Deb. She handles all that for us. So I’ll put you through to her.
CALLER: Okay.
(pause)
CLINIC: Thanks for holding. This is Rose. How can I help you?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wanting to know — I had a few questions about getting an abortion.
CLINIC: Okay. Let me put you on with Debbie. One moment.
CALLER: Okay.
(short pause)
CLINIC: This is Debbie. Can I help you?
CALLER: Yeah. I was wondering how much it cost to have an abortion?
CLINIC: Well, let me ask you a couple questions. What was the first day of your last period?
CALLER: It was like around December 14th.
CLINIC: Okay. And have you had an exam done?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: You haven’t? Okay. December 14th. And do you have insurance that might help cover?
CALLER: No. My boyfriend said he would take care of everything.
CLINIC: He did? Okay.
CALLER: My friend told me that since I’ll be 14 in March that you guys would have to tell my parents I was having an abortion. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he just take care of everything, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: You’re going to be 14?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: And your boyfriend’s 22?
CALLER: Uh-huh.
CLINIC: Holy smokes. Wow. First, there’s no parental consent law in Montana.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay? So no. We wouldn’t have to contact — and your folks know that you’re dating this fellow?
CALLER: Well, they don’t know that we’re having sex. And like they couldn’t find out at all. I don’t know what would happen if they found out.
CLINIC: I understand that.
CALLER: But they know we’re going out. They just don’t like him because they think he’s too old for me. But he’s only 22.
CLINIC: Yeah, I know. That’s almost 10 years though.
CALLER: Well, we’re in love. We’re going to get married.
CLINIC: Well, gosh. I’m not going to judge any of that. Just know that whatever happens here is absolutely confidential.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay? It looks like based on December 14th — it sounds like you’re not quite sure if that is the date or not that your last period was.
CALLER: I’m pretty sure.
CLINIC: Okay. Let me tell you, if you’re less than 13 weeks, it’s going to be $475. If you’re more than 13 weeks, it’s going to be $575.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: But because of your age and because I have a feeling — you’re about 10 weeks right now. The doc is probably going to want to do the procedure in two parts. So plan on $575.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: Okay? Plan on that. What town do you live in?
CALLER: I live in Winston.
CLINIC: In Winston. Okay. You do need to have an exam done.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Can you make it in to the clinic here to have that done?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay? Let me go to the appointment book. Let’s see if we can find a time.
CALLER: Well, it’s just I have to talk to my boyfriend to see when he can get off work, because that would be the only way I could get there.
CLINIC: Okay. We’re open later on Wednesday evenings. But talk to him, all right? And then give us a call down here and let’s get you set up for an exam.
CALLER: Okay. Well, do you think that there would be any way that I wasn’t pregnant? Like could I get on birth control there?
CLINIC: Yeah, definitely. Have you had a positive pregnancy test?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: You haven’t.
CALLER: I’m just really scared cause I haven’t had my period in a while.
CLINIC: Okay. Is that unusual for you?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. Alright. And when you had intercourse, were you using condoms or anything like that?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Oh, okay.
CALLER: That’s why we want to get on birth control so we don’t have to worry about this anymore.
CLINIC: Yeah. You know, the odds are if you don’t usually miss a period and you didn’t use any kind of contraceptive, you probably are pregnant. I mean the odds are. I can’t say that for certain until we do a test or an exam.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: So you might want to have him pick up a home test.
CALLER: Are those usually accurate?
CLINIC: Fairly, yeah. Fairly accurate. Or just wait until you come in here for an exam. And then we can go ahead and do that for you.
CALLER: But like if I wasn’t pregnant, you could do birth control, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: No, absolutely not.
CALLER: Okay. It’s just the thing is, like I can’t drive yet. So would it be all right if my boyfriend picked everything up?
CLINIC: No. We need to see you. You mean after you get started, after you come in?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Yeah, sure. Sure.
CALLER: Okay. Well, would he have to sign anything or anything? He’s just worried that — he doesn’t want me to get in trouble.
CLINIC: He doesn’t want you to get in trouble or he doesn’t want himself to get in trouble?
CALLER: Well, he doesn’t want us to get in trouble.
CLINIC: Yeah. No. He doesn’t have to sign anything.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: My main concern is that he’s 23 and you’re just 14 — or he’s 22, and you’re just —
CALLER: He’s only 22.
CLINIC: Right.
CALLER: But I’ll be 14 in March.
CLINIC: Yeah, yeah. Okay. Okay. Well, talk to him. Call us when you think you can —
CALLER: Well, what was your concern about that? What do you mean?
CLINIC: Because of the age disparity he could be prosecuted.
CALLER: Prosecuted?
CLINIC: Right.
CALLER: What do you mean? What would happen?
CLINIC: Because a person of your age can’t consent to sex.
CALLER: But I can. I mean what do you mean?
CLINIC: No, I mean by state law. Okay? By state law. A person your age — let’s say anybody who’s under 18 doesn’t have legal standing of being able to give their consent. And because his age is so much greater than yours, I don’t know that that’s anything we would have to report. I don’t think it is. That would be up to your parents.
CALLER: Oh, okay. But you guys wouldn’t tell my parents though, right?
CLINIC: Right. Right.
CALLER: And you wouldn’t tell anybody else either?
CLINIC: Why don’t we both do some checking, okay? Why don’t you talk with your boyfriend and come up with several different time slots where you could come in. And I’m going to make some phone calls and find out if we’d be compelled to report, okay?
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: And then you and I both can just be honest about it without risking anything, okay?
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: So you call me back. My name’s Debbie.
CALLER: Debbie?
CLINIC: Yep.
CALLER: All right. Thanks.
CLINIC: Uh-huh. Bye.
CALLER: Bye.
***END***
#723 – Offices Of Dr. James Armstrong & Susan Cahill (PA-C, MSW) in Kalispell, MT
Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
OFFICE OF DR. JAMES ARMSTRONG & SUSAN CAHILL, PA-C; MSW
795 SUNSET BLVD.
KALISPELL, MT 59901
406-752-8104
TAPE – 723
(Dialing, phone ringing 1X)
CLINIC: Good afternoon, Dr. Armstrong’s office. This is Wendy.
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: Yes, we do.
CALLER: Okay. Well, do you know how much it cost?
CLINIC: Well, how about how far along are you?
CALLER: I’m not really sure. I just haven’t had my period since like January 3rd.
CLINIC: Okay. I can give you some price ranges – 4 to 12 weeks would be $495; 13 to 14 would be $600; and then 15 to 18 would be $850.
CALLER: Okay. Well, if my last period was January 3rd, do you know how far along I am?
CLINIC: Have you taken a pregnancy test at all?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Okay. You would need to do that to see first if you’re even pregnant, if it’s even positive.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay? Let me just look here. January 3rd, that was your first day?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Of the last one?
CALLER: Uh-huh.
CLINIC: Okay. Well, let’s see. Today’s March 5th. So it looks like if you are, it’s going to be around almost nine weeks, eight-and-a-half to nine.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Okay. So that would be how much?
CLINIC: That would be the $495.
CALLER: Okay. Well the thing is, I’m going to be 14 like on the 19th of March, and my friend told me that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he just sign whatever it is, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: Actually, Montana state law, you do not have to reveal any of that information to your parents even if you’re under age.
CALLER: Oh, really?
CLINIC: No.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Yeah, Montana state law, you do not. You can get an abortion at 15 or 16, and your parents don’t need to know anything about it.
CALLER: Okay. So does anybody have to know about my boyfriend or anything?
CLINIC: Nope, nope. It’s all confidential.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: All between you and him, or just you, or however you want to do that.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Do you want to set up an appointment?
CALLER: Well, I have to call him to see. He’d be the only way I could get there. He said that he would pay for cash. He said he would pay cash for everything, but he doesn’t want to fill out any forms. Would he have to sign anything?
CLINIC: Nope, nope. It’s strictly confidential. All he does is pay and that’s it. And his name doesn’t even have to be revealed.
CALLER: Okay. So I could come in there and get a pregnancy test first though?
CLINIC: You can either do that or you can just get on one on the market too. They’re about as accurate as ours.
CALLER: Oh, really?
CLINIC: Yep. They’re about 98-99 percent accurate. You just would buy an over-the-counter pregnancy test. We would run one here too when you come in for your appointment.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Have you had your blood recently drawn anywhere?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Okay. We would also need to have you come in and have your blood type, because we need to know if you’re a positive blood type or a negative blood type and whether or not to give you the Rhogam shot.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Well, does that cost some more?
CLINIC: If you’re negative, yes. It would be an additional $35.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: Um-hmm. And we’d have to administer the shot.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: So if the pregnancy test turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control there?
CLINIC: Um-hmm. Yep. Where are you located at?
CALLER: I’m in Big Fork.
CLINIC: In Big Fork? Okay, it might be cheaper for you to try to get maybe birth control through your like your family planning or something also.
CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, my boyfriend said he would pay for everything. And he gave me your number to call. So I think he wants to go to you guys.
CLINIC: Oh. Okay.
CALLER: But if I was on birth control, would you have to tell anybody about that?
CLINIC: No, no. Everything is strictly patient confidentiality.
CALLER: Okay. And you’re sure no one has to know about my boyfriend and me?
CLINIC: That’s correct.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Alright.
CLINIC: Do you want to set something up?
CALLER: Well, what times do you have? I need to call my boyfriend to see when he can get off work.
CLINIC: Okay. Hold on just one moment, okay?
CALLER: All right.
(pause)
CLINIC: You’re still there?
CALLER: Uh-huh.
CLINIC: Okay. It looks like we’ve got some openings the week of the 18th.
CALLER: Okay. Would that be all right?
CLINIC: So what I need to do is put you in touch with one of the medical assistants because there’s a lot of information that they’re going to have to get written down on a piece of paper — your name, your number and all that — so that they know where to get in touch with you. Do you have time to talk to one of them right now?
CALLER: Well, I need to call my boyfriend and make sure that the date is okay. Can I call you back?
CLINIC: Uh-huh. Yeah, you sure can. It looks like it’s going to be like the latter part of that week. I’m looking at either that Thursday or that Friday.
CALLER: Okay. Well, how long does the whole thing take? Should he take the whole day off?
CLINIC: No, no. It’s going to probably be about an hour, hour-and-a-half.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Okay? Like do you have it like in the morning or the afternoon?
CLINIC: It looks like I have morning and also have a couple afternoons too.
CALLER: Oh, all right.
CLINIC: You want to check with him real quick, and then call me back?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. When you call back, hon, ask for either Simone or Debbie. Because they’re one of our medical assistants, and they’re the ones that schedule those appointments, okay?
CALLER: Okay. And your name was Wendy?
CLINIC: Uh-huh.
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Thank you.
CLINIC: You’re welcome.
CALLER: Bye.
CLINIC: Bye bye.
***END***