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What is the difference between other Private Providers and Planned Parenthood? It is highly important for any woman to have access to proper health care and services. She can get what she needs by visiting private providers of women’s health care or a Planned Parenthood health center in her locality. These are the two most common types of women’s health care providers in the United States today. Private providers are generally health clinics established, owned and operated by private individuals, usually from the medical and health fields, whose goal is to provide quality health services for women, young and old.

Planned Parenthood, which is short for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), is a non-profit organization which started as a birth control clinic established by Margaret Sanger in 1916 in New York. It was then organized into the American Birth Control League which then found its way into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1942.

To better understand the differences in these two providers, let’s take a look at the following criteria:

• • FundingMost private providers charge their patients with fees depending on the consultations and procedures that they need. These fees are used for the running of the whole organization. Some private providers belong to a conglomerate or at least a much larger corporation whose support helps in the operation of their branches and clinics.
• Planned Parenthood receives federal funding for its family planning services, including contraception and family planning information. It also receives money in the form of government grants and contracts. However, it cannot receive federal funding nor allocate such funds for abortions. Planned Parenthood also receives funding from private donors which account for around a quarter of the organization’s revenue.
• • ReachPrivate providers often hold clinics and offices within a specific location. If they are part of a larger health network, then they probably have branches in other states across the country.
• Planned Parenthood is currently the largest provider of women’s reproductive health services in the country today. It has over 85 independent affiliates all over the United States operating under the Planned Parenthood banner. This translates to over 800 health centers across the country. Their national offices are located in New York and Washington D.C.
• • ServicesMost private providers offer general family practice and women’s health and reproductive services. These can include obstetrics, gynecology, weight loss programs, massage therapy, skin care, chiropractic treatments, abortion and birth control. Some will also provide laboratory testing too.
• Planned Parenthood also offers the same type of services. They provide general health care, birth control, abortion and emergency contraception support, men’s health care services and pregnancy testing services and support. They also handle STD Testing, treatment and prevention.
• • FeesPrivate providers generally charge a certain fee for their services. Each clinic may charge differently depending on the type of service you’re availing. Some make it easier for repeat patients by establishing a tier of payments. Those who have been with the clinic the longest may be entitled to lower fees, kind of like a loyalty reward program.
• Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization therefore patients need not pay for the services they’re availing. This is a big help for less-privileged patients, for people with no insurance and for teens who find themselves without any support from their parents.