Cost of no confidentiality.

Laws that restrict the confidentiality of Texas teenagers who wish to obtain reproductive health services could exact substantial health and economic costs. (1) Using data from the state health department and publicly funded family planning clinics, analysts projected the effects of teenagers' loss of confidentiality resulting from two laws implemented since 2001, one of which requires those younger than 18 to get parental consent to obtain prescription contraceptives. Assuming that 37% of clinic clients younger than 18 would forgo reproductive health care if they had to tell their parents, the analysts estimate that each year, an additional 5,372 births and 1,654 abortions would occur in this population; medical costs associated with these outcomes would exceed $44 million. Teenagers' failure to seek care also would result in increases in untreated cases of chlamydia (2,243), gonorrhea (521) and pelvic inflammatory disease (501); treating the consequences of these diseases would cost $708,000. A reduction in visits owing to the loss of confidentiality would somewhat offset these costs; still, the state's tab would run $43.6 million.

(1.) Franzini Let al., Projected economic costs due to health consequences of teenagers' loss of confidentiality in obtaining reproductive health care services in Texas, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2004, 158(12):1140-1146.