Telehealth company aims to expand access to contraception in Mississippi

A telehealth firm targeted on offering inexpensive entry to contraception is increasing into Mississippi subsequent week. 

Twentyeight Well being is predicated in New York and at present works in 33 states. Mississippi will deliver that quantity to 34.

In response to co-founder Amy Fan, over 200,000 ladies in Mississippi live in contraceptive deserts, or counties the place the variety of well being care suppliers providing the total vary of contraception strategies shouldn’t be sufficient to fulfill the wants of the ladies eligible for publicly funded contraception. 

To make use of Twentyeight Well being, sufferers first fill out a medical questionnaire on-line that recommends contraception choices. They’re then linked with an out-of-state doctor who’s licensed to observe in Mississippi. The doctor writes the prescription, and their contraception is then mailed to them discreetly. 

The affected person can message the doctor who wrote their prescription or schedule a telephone session at any level at no further value to reply any questions they could have. 

“That’s really one thing actually necessary to our customers, whether or not they’re dwelling with roommates, or stay in a multi-generational family, that they’re nonetheless in a position to interact with clinicians remotely, however in a method that feels personal and discreet for them,” stated Fan. 

Fan stated it’s necessary for girls to have entry to medical doctors who appear like them. All of Twentyeight’s medical doctors are ladies, and 75% are ladies of coloration. Practically half communicate Spanish. 

The corporate expenses an annual $20 physician analysis payment to make use of its service. The contraception itself sometimes prices nothing if the affected person has insurance coverage, together with Medicaid, however there’s a low-cost out-of-pocket choice for uninsured sufferers. 

In Mississippi, Twentyeight’s providers will solely be out there to sufferers ages 18 and up. 

Fan stated that they’ve wished to deliver the corporate to Mississippi for awhile, nevertheless it has taken time to get the licenses wanted to function within the state. 

Mississippi legislation requires all medical health insurance and worker profit plans to cowl telemedicine providers to the identical extent they’d an in-person go to. 

Fan stated Mississippi has the potential to be a high-impact service space for the corporate as a result of lack of well being care entry, together with sexual and reproductive well being care. 

“Sadly, Mississippi has one of many highest charges of unintended pregnancies,” Fan stated. “And if we’re in a position to present contraception extra in a extra readily accessible method, hopefully people who don’t wish to both begin or develop their household at this second are in a position to have management over their very own timelines.”