Acquiring healthcare

[TheNiteHawk]

Hello all,

For the past few weeks I have wanted to talk to a doctor regarding my sexual heath and ask some questions. However, I have run into some issues with being able to.

I don't know which order to start this in, but I suppose I'll start here: this would not have been an issue last year, as I was on SSRIs and had to visit my doctor every ~3 months to get a med check and refills. However, I got to the point where I no longer needed the medication and was taken off of it. That doctor I knew well and felt comfortable with. That doctor was also my pediatrician. I turned 18 at the end of last year, and wasn't able to continue seeing him. I had originally wanted to chose my own doctor, so I told my parents to give me a list of doctors that were accepted by our insurance plan, and I would chose from that. However, my mother went ahead and picked one for me (thanks mom, exactly what I didn't want you to do). So now we come to an issue. Despite me having a doctor, I've never been there, I don't know who he is, nor exactly where he practices (although I think I know what building it is, there are a few different practices in that building). Even if I knew exactly where I would have to go, I've never met this doctor, and I don't know how comfortable I would be with him, especially at a first visit.

Regardless of the fact that I don't know exactly who this doctor is, I don't know how I would pay for it. I can pay a co-pay, yes, but I would rather it remain confidential, and I do not want my parents to know. I am 18, and old enough to get healthcare by myself, however, I am still under my parents insurance plan. Even if I paid the co-pay, I'm sure we would still get a statement in the mail from our insurance provider that the bill is paid. Now, I could tell my parents I want to go to the doctor. This would lead to many questions. I am healthy, and they've never really put yearly checkups into much importance. I would have to tell them and they would ask why. Telling them I have sexual health questions would not go too well, I would think (my parents are right-leaning religious people, and think that sex is for your opposite-sex husband/wife). So I would have to come up with a convincing reason why I wanted to go to the doctor.

Now, there is a Planned Parenthood clinic in my area that has a walk-in day. I assume they would have low-cost healthcare available. I don't even know if Planned Parenthood would be the best place for my type of questions. Even then, I'd have to come up with an excuse to get out of the house. I have a car, so transportation is not an issue, but aside from going to Work, I don't really get out much (there's not a lot to do around here).

So, any advice?

[Heather]

Can you fill me in on what questions you're looking to have answered? That's the missing piece for me in this.

[TheNiteHawk]

Just some personal questions I don't feel in the mood to share. Even then, aside from perhaps one thing, nothing that I can really get answers for here.

[Heather]

What I was trying to do was answer your question about if a Planned Parenthood branch was a place that could answer them for you, or if a different kind of provider is what you need.

[TheNiteHawk]

Ah, I have some questions about my genitalia, and some other non-sexual related health questions. And some other things, I'm still thinking.

Sorry it took me two posts to understand your question.

[Heather]

Okay, so sounds like a more general physician is what you really need. Planned Parenthood primarily provides reproductive healthcare for women.

Since your mother found you one, seems like scheduling a general appointment isn't anything you'd have to hide. All you can say is that you do want to start with yearly checkups, because you know that's best for your health. What you ask there isn't going to be on an insurance statement. And any doctor will be new to you on a first visit, regardless of where you go.

[TheNiteHawk]

Okay. Thanks, Heather! I'll post here again if I think or come to anything else I need.