Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/198837
Sarasota News Leader October 25, 2013 Page 30 News Leader: I'm really struck by the patchwork effects of the Affordable Care Act so far, depending on how state legislatures have responded to it. Zdravecky: Hawaii has offered healthcare to its citizens for years. Massachusetts, of course, was the model. That was Gov. [Mitt] Romney's program. We know that it works. It's unfortunate that the opposition has created so much tension around this as a political football instead of seeing it as the best thing for your constituents and your community. News Leader: You mentioned the transition Planned Parenthood is going through. Are people aware of that? Zdravecky: This is all happening so fast, so I'm trying to get the word out to let folks know that we are converting, that we are changing, that we are responding and educating and supporting the Affordable Care Act. And we need support in order to continue that work, as we do the transition to provide that primary care and to help fill the gap in as we go through this transition. Because going from a cash-only business to a business that has accounts receivable and whatnot? Very, very different kind of business. It's challenging. Barbara Zdravecky/Photo courtesy of Caitlyn Miller on the ground, talking to people about the enrollment dates, how to get in, what it really means — there's so much confusion about what it means — has been really important as well. Bringing in new staff, training the staff on all the things I talked about, has been a tremendous effort as well as a tremendous expense. We are in transition, and so it takes a lot of money to push your business forward while you're looking at the mission of Planned Parenthood. News Leader: I don't know if it's social News Leader: When did you start this media, but I see a lot more public support for change? the organization. Zdravecky: We raised $900,000 last year to do the new practice management system and the [electronic health record] program, so it's not like we just started a couple of weeks ago. But the actual transition, having our teams Zdravecky: I think that's true. The Komen Foundation launched that. There was the big outrage about them defunding Planned Parenthood, the whole denigration of women in the presidential election right after, with so