HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Office of the Attorney General is encouraging all Pennsylvania consumers, especially those who are pregnant or may become pregnant, to be informed when it comes to choosing reproductive health care providers and counselors.
According to the AG, there are facilities across the Commonwealth that offer various forms of assistance from education and information to support; however, not all of them provide medical care.
Many facilities known as crisis pregnancy centers or pregnancy resource centers are not staffed by licensed medical professionals and therefore cannot provide medical care.
In Pennsylvania, only licensed medical professionals can provide medical care such as diagnostic ultrasounds, pre-natal screening tests or abortion services.
"Pregnant people and other consumers who are searching for reproductive health care providers and counselors in Pennsylvania are entitled to accurate information about the types of services offered by clinics or providers," the Office of the Attorney General wrote in a press release.
"Anyone seeking reproductive health services or counseling should be prepared to ask if the services they seek are provided at the clinic they have contacted," the statement continued.
The Office of the Attorney General offers consumers an online platform to submit complaints regarding professions and practices in the Commonwealth, including pregnancy services.
“In Pennsylvania, consumers are entitled to truthful and accurate information about the products and services they are in the market to procure, so that they can make informed decisions that are appropriate for their particular needs,” Attorney General Henry said. “That right is never more relevant than when healthcare options and decisions are at issue, including reproductive healthcare.”
The Attorney General’s Office suggests the following questions for consumers seeking reproductive healthcare to pose to potential providers in order to navigate the selection process:
- Are you (the facility) licensed or regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and/or do you have licensed medical professionals on staff to provide medical services?
- What types of pregnancy-related services do you offer?
- Do you protect patient health information and data under HIPAA?
(*Note that only licensed medical providers are bound by HIPAA’s privacy protections.)
Finally, if any consumer believes they have received misleading or false information about pregnancy-related resources and services provided in Pennsylvania, the Office of Attorney General encourages such consumers to fill out a complaint form here.
Complaints can be made anonymously.
