As for your doctor patient confidentiality as a minor, this is only the case if you have a legitimate reason not to tell your mom (like she'll beat you or the pregnancy test indicates incest and that would put you in harm's way). But it sounds like she's supporting you and you're not estranged from her, so I don't think a judicial bypass is necessary. You can have your doctor tell your mom everything.
It looks like you're in Michigan, which means that if you did choose to have an abortion you would need to obtain consent from one parent. In terms of cost, you can always ask about a payment plan, or see if there is anything the clinics know of that might help you with the cost - sometimes there are local resources. If your mom gives consent, would you be able to maybe use her insurance? Private insurance will sometimes cover the procedure. In general, it is my understanding that if you go to pay out of pocket, it will be less expensive at a clinic.
If you plan to have an abortion if you are pregnant, then time is of the essence. It sounds as though you aren't certain that you are pregnant, but that if you are, you aren't at all sure how far along you are. Past the 12th week of pregnancy the cost (and risk) of the procedure go up dramatically each week
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In my experience, your confidentiality is protected and they can only tell someone (like a parent, or anyone else) *with* your explicit permission. So if you tell them your mom is okay, but not your dad, they should respect that.
Cost-wise, usually clinics are the cheapest place to get an abortion - hospitals are very expensive, and private doctors often somewhere in between (though that depends too). If your doctor doesn't have a list of referrals of places that offer abortion, look in the phone book (under Abortion, *not* Abortion Alternatives) and make some phone calls to get a sense of the price range.
Minors in general are not entitled to keep medical info private from their parents, though there are of course exceptions (e.g. if the doctor suspects abuse, or if a state law specifically allows the minor to keep certain info confidential, like that they've had an STD screening).
There are three situations in which a parent is not entitled to see your health information:
A minor is considered "the individual" who can exercise rights under the rule in one of three circumstances. The first situation--and the one that is likely to occur most often--is when the minor has the right to consent to health care and has consented, such as when a minor has consented to treatment of an STD under a state minor consent law. The second situation is when the minor may
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Good luck!
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...or obtain a judicial bypass.
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Cost-wise, usually clinics are the cheapest place to get an abortion - hospitals are very expensive, and private doctors often somewhere in between (though that depends too). If your doctor doesn't have a list of referrals of places that offer abortion, look in the phone book (under Abortion, *not* Abortion Alternatives) and make some phone calls to get a sense of the price range.
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HIPAA generally allows a health provider to give your health information to your parents if you are a minor. However, "allow" is not the same as "require." There is no requirement under the law that I know of that both your parents MUST be informed of your medical information.
There are three situations in which a parent is not entitled to see your health information:
A minor is considered "the individual" who can exercise rights under the rule in one of three circumstances. The first situation--and the one that is likely to occur most often--is when the minor has the right to consent to health care and has consented, such as when a minor has consented to treatment of an STD under a state minor consent law. The second situation is when the minor may ( ... )
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