Planned Parenthood has an App, here’s what you can do with it

Getting birth control and reliable healthcare these days can be a hassle. First of all, you have to make a new doctor’s appointment with an OBGYN each year in order to renew your same birth control prescription…Huh?

Scheduling appointments can be a nightmare, too. The next available slot is usually like a Tuesday in March in the year 2025. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t even know where I’m gonna be tomorrow.)

Even treating UTIs is irritating and usually involves an awkward visit to an urgent care facility before you’re able to get a prescription.

All of this begs the question — Why in 2023, is healthcare still so inconvenient? Planned Parenthood asked the same question, and they launched a new app that might just be the answer.

Here’s what we learned about the new Planned Parenthood Direct app:

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Good news! The app is free and available in the App Store and Google Play Store.

There are a few different things you can do through the app: order birth control to be mailed to you, request birth control to be picked up at your pharmacy, get emergency contraception, and get health tips.

Let’s break down each one of these:

1. Request Birth Control Pills via Mail

With the birth control app, you can order a minimum 3 month supply and sign-up for automatic refills for up to a year. The orders are shipped in discreet white envelopes for added privacy.

As of now, only the pill is available to be sent directly to you by mail. Planned Parenthood currently offers 10 different pill options via the app, including 9 combination pills (estrogen and progestin) and 1 progestin-only pill. The app will ask you for your blood pressure in order to determine which birth control pills may be right for you.

It’s important to note that prices of the pills vary by state, starting at around $15- $20. The app currently doesn’t accept insurance for deliveries, other than Medicaid plans in Washington, Michigan and Minnesota. Apparently this is something that Planned Parenthood is working to fix.

(Be sure to use the map to determine what’s offered in your state).

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2. Request Prescriptions to Be Sent to Your Pharmacy

Aside from ordering pills you can also order the patch, ring, and treatment for a UTI to be picked up at your local pharmacy.

UTIs can be diagnosed by answering a series of health questions on the app. If the condition appears to be more serious than a UTI, the app will refund your app visit fee. Treatment costs for a UTI vary based on your insurance and the prescription chosen.

3. Get Emergency Contraception

The app also has options to have emergency contraception ella, shipped overnight. ella starts at around $80.

This option is only available in certain states, so you might need to check to see if your state offers it.

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4. Other Things You Can Do

Here are a few other things you can do within the app:

• Educate yourself about birth control methods

• Get Answers to healthcare questions (clinicians will respond in one business day)

• Find the nearest Planned Parenthood health center