Preparing For Your Visit

Thank you for choosing the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood for your health care services. In an effort to ensure the best possible experience, we have provided the following information to help you prepare for your visit. If you have additional questions or concerns regarding these instructions, please feel free to call us:

Hamilton: 804.355.4358

East End: 804.508.6045

Hampton: 757.826.2079

Virginia Beach: 757.499.7526

Telehealth Information

The safety and health of patients, our staff, and our broader communities remain our highest priority as our country faces an unprecedented public health crisis. Self-isolation and social distancing are ways we can care for ourselves and each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

VLPP's new telehealth program allows patients across the Commonwealth to access high-quality, affordable health services and connects them with trusted providers through secure remote options. 

Through telehealth, patients can access essential services with fewer visits or without needing to visit a health center at all. Telehealth services are available for  gender-affirming hormone therapy (HRT) follow-up appointments; and other health care issues as appropriate. 

How to Prepare for Your Telehealth Visit 

• Prior to or day-of your visit, you will receive a link from Phreesia either by e-mail or text message to pre-register and pay for your visit
• The day of your appointment, within 10-15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time, you will receive a call from health center staff confirming that you are ready for your appointment, that you've pre-registered, that you're in a quiet, comfortable space and that you have either a computer, tablet or mobile device available for your telehealth visit

General Information

Please bring the following items with you for your visit: 

• Picture ID
• Insurance card, if any, with policy holder information (full name and date of birth)
• Information about your medical history and any medications you are taking
• Information for your preferred pharmacy

We recommend arriving 15 minutes early to complete registration.

Patients will be screened for temperature and other COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival and asked to wait in their vehicle. Accomodations will be made for those arriving through public transportation. 

*Only patients will be allowed in the health center. Support persons are encouraged to wait outside or in their cars. 

In Richmond at our Hamilton health center, our parking lot is often full. Additional parking can be found on Hamilton and surrounding streets. Please do not park in the VCU Baird Vascular Institute parking lot to the side.

In Richmond at our East End health center, our parking lot is located at 1114 N 25th Street. There is also ample street parking available on the streets surrounding the building.

In Virginia Beach, regular protestor activity is common. You do not have to interact with the protestors, and you may park on the side or back of the building to avoid them.

Payment and Insurance Information

Please have your payment ready at the time of check in. We accept cash and major credit/debit cards. We encourage payment via Phreesia, online or other method that does not require physical transaction to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

VLPP offers a sliding fee scale based on income and family size at our health centers. 

Good Faith Estimate Notice

Under the No Surprises Act Part II, a law passed in 2021, you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. 

Health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• If you schedule your service at least three days in advance, make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 804.905.6997.

Insurance Information

If you would like to use your insurance for your visit, please provide that information when scheduling your appointment and bring your card with you to your appointment.

VLPP accepts the following insurance plans:

• Administrative Concepts 
• Aetna
• Anthem
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna (does not include plan through Healthcare.gov)
• CoreSource
• Coventry
• Health Partners
• HealthKeepers
• HealthSmart
• Key Benefits Administrators
• Medcost
• Medicaid (Virginia)
• Optima
• Plan First
• United Healthcare
• Virginia Premier (does not include Elite Individual plan through Healthcare.gov)

If you have questions or want to confirm coverage prior to your appointment, please call (804) 355-4358. 

In order to bill your insurance for your visit, it is important for us to verify the following:

• that we are in network with your insurance carrier; 
• that your coverage is active at the time of your visit; 
• for certain procedures, that the procedure is a covered benefit under your insurance plan and that your insurance carrier provides us with the necessary authorization; 
• if you are requesting primary care services and have an HMO plan, that you have the necessary referral or that the provider you will see is your designated PCP.

If you provide this information at the time of scheduling your appointment, we will make every effort to complete this process in advance of your visit and to notify you of any potential problems. However, some insurance related matters may need to be addressed at the time of your visit.

If you don’t have health insurance, you may be able to get covered under Obamacare. With or without insurance, you can always come to us for your healthcare.

Financial Assistance

If you have scheduled an abortion appointment and are in need of financial assistance, please contact the following abortion funds:

Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP)

Phone number: (888) 847.1593

Gestational age: 8 weeks or higher

Blue Ridge Abortion Fund (BRAF)

Phone number: (434) 963.0669

Gestational age: 14 weeks or higher

DC Abortion Fund (DCAF)

Phone number: (202) 452-7464

Gestational age: 7 weeks or higher

New River Abortion Access Fund (NRAAF)

Phone number: (833) 672.2310

Gestational age: 10 weeks or higher

Appointment Details

• If you have an abortion appointment, your counseling may be completed in person or over the phone during your visit.
• If you are having an annual exam that includes a pap and/or HPV test, you should not have sex or put anything in your vagina for 24 hours prior to your visit; it is OK to continue use of the Nuva ring. If you have heavy menstrual bleeding at the time of your appointment, you should reschedule.
• If you are having an IUD insertion, it is best to schedule your appointment near the end of your period and to not have unprotected sex in the two weeks before your visit. We offer Liletta, Paragard and Kyleena IUDs, so you may wish to research these options prior to your visit.
• If you are having a Nexplanon insertion, you should not have unprotected sex in the two weeks before your visit.
• If you are having testing for an STI or UTI, it is best not to urinate in the hour right before your visit so that we can obtain an appropriate urine sample. Our standard STI screen includes tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV; other tests may be indicated or recommended based on your symptoms or medical history.

Late Arrival Policy

We strive to see every patient as close to their appointment time as possible. We ask that you please be courteous of your provider’s and everyone's valuable time and attention. If you are running more than 10 minutes late, please give us a call so that we can evaluate our schedule and see how we can accommodate you. The physicians, office staff, as well as your fellow patients thank you.