The Guttmacher Institute and Kaiser Family Foundation released a report yesterday on Medicaid’s role in family planning services in the U.S.; In short, it’s the largest source of public funding for family planning services in the country, serving millions of low-income women in contraceptive services.
But sadly, there is a downside. In 1976, Congress passed the Hyde Amendment, legislation that excludes abortion from government-funded health care programs. As the report will show you, women enrolled in Medicaid and other programs for that matter receive coverage for family planning services including contraception, prenatal care, labor and delivery. But abortion isn’t included unless she is a victim of rape, incest or her life is in danger.
In other words, low-income women are forced to sacrifice rent or money for food to obtain an abortion, or are forced to continue the pregnancy and stay trapped in poverty. This makes me think about what Justice Bader Ginsburg said recently about the overturn of Roe v. Wade having "a devastating impact on poor women." But how much “choice� do they really have now when they don’t even have access?
The National Network of Abortion Funds leads a national campaign with a number of other advocacy groups which aims to repeal the Hyde Amendment. Their goal is to get 20,000 signatures delivered to Congress by January 2008. So go sign the petition to help give all women the access to choose.
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I'm so glad you guys are addressing this - too many "pro-choice" organizations don't address the needs of lower-class women. And I totally signed, btw! :)
California funds abortions based on genetic markers (or they did in the 80's). If you have that test done, and the fetus displays the genetic markers for one of the common birth defects, California does include that in their women's health program.
Actually, some states use their own funds to pay for abortions for women on Medicaid:
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in_your_state/who-decides/maps-and-charts/map.jsp?mapID=4
Granted, it's not federal funds, but some states do recognize that low-income women deserve access to the full range of reproductive options.
Oh, thanks to the commenters for clarifying. I was going to comment that I was confused because in NY, medicaid paid for my abortion. Sooo, nvm.
OK, I'm a little confused, too. I went on emergency medicaid, which funded mine when I was 17 and too scared to talk to my parents about it - even though I knew my mom had one at about the same age and my parents would both be supportive of ANY decision I made... I'm raising a teen now, and I have to say, teens are WEIRD... (By the way, I talked to my parents about it two weeks later and they were totally OK and sorry that I hadn't come to them before... So teens out there, trust those gut instincts about your parents...)