aGameOfThrones
02-18-2014, 03:21 PM
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — While many states passed sweeping abortion laws last year, the Iowa General Assembly endorsed just one — a perplexing measure befitting one of the few legislatures under divided control.
The GOP-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, in a compromise, put Gov. Terry Branstad in charge of signing off on any payments for publicly funded abortions. Republicans believed the added scrutiny might be a brake on abortions under Medicaid. Democrats noted the measure applied only to reimbursements, not approval ahead of time.
But about seven months after the new rule took effect, the consequences have surprised everyone, and illustrated the trickiness of bipartisan lawmaking on the issue. Branstad, a Republican and abortion opponent, hasn't approved any payments. But the few patients who were eligible for Medicaid-funded abortions received them anyway.
That's because the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics — where most of these procedures have been done in past years — simply decided not to bill the state for the 15 it had performed as of mid-February.
Those on all sides of the issue are now pondering what the work-around means for them and the larger abortion battle.
Abortion rights advocates aren't happy even though patients lost no access.
"At its heart it's very deceitful. The governor gets to say he never approved any Medicaid payments because no one ever asked him to. He's never presented with the bill," said Jill June, longtime president of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
Conservative Republicans see something gained.
"The ultimate goal is to make sure taxpayer dollars are not being used for a purpose that people find morally unconscionable," said Rep. Matt Windschitl.
Branstad, who is running for re-election, was spared some difficult decisions. Denying payments could have put him in violation of federal guidelines that require Medicaid to fund abortions in some cases.
"This was a compromise that was worked out by the legislature. It's not something we recommended," Branstad said, when asked for his thoughts on the outcome.
University spokesman Tom Moore said the state-owned hospital system decided to absorb the $27,500 cost of the procedures to stay out of the "politics of this matter."
Iowa's Medicaid program typically covers only a small number of abortions each year. Federal guidelines require the state to pay in cases of rape, incest and to save the mother's life. Iowa's program also covers some cases of fetal deformity.
http://news.yahoo.com/unusual-iowa-abortion-rule-surprising-result-175015976.html
The GOP-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, in a compromise, put Gov. Terry Branstad in charge of signing off on any payments for publicly funded abortions. Republicans believed the added scrutiny might be a brake on abortions under Medicaid. Democrats noted the measure applied only to reimbursements, not approval ahead of time.
But about seven months after the new rule took effect, the consequences have surprised everyone, and illustrated the trickiness of bipartisan lawmaking on the issue. Branstad, a Republican and abortion opponent, hasn't approved any payments. But the few patients who were eligible for Medicaid-funded abortions received them anyway.
That's because the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics — where most of these procedures have been done in past years — simply decided not to bill the state for the 15 it had performed as of mid-February.
Those on all sides of the issue are now pondering what the work-around means for them and the larger abortion battle.
Abortion rights advocates aren't happy even though patients lost no access.
"At its heart it's very deceitful. The governor gets to say he never approved any Medicaid payments because no one ever asked him to. He's never presented with the bill," said Jill June, longtime president of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
Conservative Republicans see something gained.
"The ultimate goal is to make sure taxpayer dollars are not being used for a purpose that people find morally unconscionable," said Rep. Matt Windschitl.
Branstad, who is running for re-election, was spared some difficult decisions. Denying payments could have put him in violation of federal guidelines that require Medicaid to fund abortions in some cases.
"This was a compromise that was worked out by the legislature. It's not something we recommended," Branstad said, when asked for his thoughts on the outcome.
University spokesman Tom Moore said the state-owned hospital system decided to absorb the $27,500 cost of the procedures to stay out of the "politics of this matter."
Iowa's Medicaid program typically covers only a small number of abortions each year. Federal guidelines require the state to pay in cases of rape, incest and to save the mother's life. Iowa's program also covers some cases of fetal deformity.
http://news.yahoo.com/unusual-iowa-abortion-rule-surprising-result-175015976.html