NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | Guttmacher Report Cites Effectiveness, Cost-Savings in Family Planning Programs
[Feb. 24, 2009]

Publicly funded family planning programs save the U.S. billions of dollars each year though the prevention of about 1.94 million unintended pregnancies, including nearly 400,000 teenage pregnancies, in the U.S., according to a report released Tuesday by the Guttmacher Institute, the AP/Miami Herald reports. The report estimates that the unintended pregnancies prevented each year would have resulted in 810,000 abortions, 270,000 miscarriages and 860,000 unintended births. The report states that without publicly funded family planning programs, the U.S. abortion rate would be nearly two-thirds higher than the current level and nearly twice as high among low-income women.

More than nine million women, including almost two million younger than age 20, received publicly funded contraceptive services in 2006. Six in 10 women who use a family planning center consider it to be their basic source of health care. The centers provide services such as breast and pelvic exams, reproductive cancer screenings, HIV testing, treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure, and a source of referrals to other health providers. In 2006, public expenditures for family planning totaled $1.85 billion, with 71% of the funds coming from the joint federal-state Medicaid program. In addition, 27 states have expanded eligibility for family planning for low-income women who would not otherwise qualify for Medicaid.

Rachel Benson Gold, a co-author of the report, called publicly funded family planning "smart government at its best." She said that every dollar spent on the programs saves taxpayers $4 in costs associated with unintended births to women who are eligible for Medicaid. Gold said that obtaining a waiver from HHS to expand family planning services is a "cumbersome and time-consuming process" for states but that it is a "popular policy because it helps women while saving public dollars" and "more than pays for itself." The report recommends that Congress do away with the waiver requirement for extending family planning and instead allow states to use the same income criteria that they use for determining eligibility for pregnancy-related care. The report also endorses family planning coverage for legal immigrants who have been in the U.S. less than five years. Additionally, the report supports pending legislation in Congress that would increase funding for Title X family planning.

According to the AP/Herald, some advocacy groups hope to increase Title X funding to $700 million a year, almost double the current amount. However, some conservatives object to Title X because the Planned Parenthood Federation of America -- a major provider of abortions as well as family planning services -- is a key recipient of the funding. Although Title X funding cannot be used for abortions, critics argue the federal money frees up other areas of PPFA's budget for abortion services, the AP/Herald reports. Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said Title X funding is "another Planned Parenthood bailout" that "covers their overhead." Perkins said he also is concerned about public funding that provides contraception to unmarried couples, adding, "The issue is whether taxpayers should fund, and thereby encourage, behavior that's risky and morally questionable." However, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), an advocate for the increase in family planning funding, said, "Right-wing Republicans continually use sex as a weapon when they don't have an effective argument to stand on." She added, "They attack common sense policies that not only save taxpayers money but also promote public health."

Last month, House Democrats "abandoned" a provision in the economic stimulus bill that would have eliminated the waiver requirement and allowed states the option to expand Medicaid family planning services after Republicans criticized the measure, the AP/Herald reports. However, Congressional Democrats "are not abandoning their overall goal" and "plan to push soon for a major funding increase for Title X," according to the AP/Herald. The AP/Herald reports that the push would be part of broader legislation aimed at reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, an effort President Obama supports. Adam Sonfield, a Guttmacher policy expert who co-authored the report, said that researchers are concerned by data that show higher rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions among low-income women and minority women, compared with U.S. women as a whole. Sonfield said that he hopes policymakers will include proposals for improving family planning for low-income women as part of discussions on health care reform, adding that family planning "should be noncontroversial." He said, "In this economic climate, it's so important in terms of ability to get an education, to stay in the work force" (Crary, AP/Herald, 2/24).





The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.

News Room  |  Research Library  |  Ways to Give  |  Jobs  |  Privacy  |  Site Search  |  Contact Us  |  RSS  |  Home © 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families