University of Iowa didn't bill Medicaid for 2 abortions

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

IOWA CITY (AP) — The University of Iowa has declined to bill Medicaid for two abortions performed since July 1, sidestepping a new law that requires the governor to decide whether the program should pay for those procedures.

Last spring, the Legislature voted to require the governor's personal approval before Medicaid is called upon to pay for abortions. Gov. Terry Branstad said he was ready to do so.

The law — the first of its kind in the country — doesn't require the governor's permission for abortions to be performed. It's considered a compromise between the demands of those who oppose and those who are for abortion rights.

The university's vice president of medical affairs, Dr. Jean Robillard, said the two abortions would have qualified for Medicaid reimbursement because both involved fetal anomalies. But he declined to say whether the decision not to bill them to Medicaid was related to the new requirement for the governor's approval.


FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130912/NEWS/130919489/1707#university-of-iowa-didn-t-bill-medicaid-for-2-abortions

[immoderate]

1. So who pays?

All I see is who doesn't.

--imm

[kestrel91316]

6. I suspect the patient will be hounded and harassed for years over the bill.

That's usually how it goes. Have to get that money SOMEHOW.

[HockeyMom]

2. I would be DEAD today

if I had to wait for a Legislator's "approval" for an abortion for an ectopic pregnancy. Forget WHO paid for it.

[Squinch]

3. These people are evil and disgusting. No politician has the right to decide what

happens in my uterus. He doesn't even have the right to KNOW what goes on in my uterus. Where is HIPAA on this? How does this not violate every aspect of medical privacy??

[TxDemChem]

4. I wondered how this would play out

When the gov's little scheme was enacted. I vaguely recall thinking there would likely be a group of donors for cases like this. It's a terrible position to put the doctors and patients in.

[47of74]

5. I hope we here in Iowa can vote Gov. Double Dipper out next year.

He needs to go. So do his man crush Scott Walker.

[Bigredhunk]

7. Hopefully

IDK why, but people here seem to like the douche. He's such a puddy zero. He's like an empty chair. Embarrassing. So was Culver, unfortunately. To me Bumstead seems like a guy who'll never be out of office again until he decides to leave. Same as Grassley. Vomitorium.

[47of74]

8. Thankfully the IA Senate remained Democratic

So he wasn't able to fulfill his wet dream of Walker/Kochizing the state.

[lunasun]

9. Good on the university

and really ? they need his permission for a medical procedure?Outrageous wtf
Didnt know Iowa fell off the sanity map with Wisconsin

[jwirr]

10. One way or the other the bill is paid for by the government. The UI is a state supported school

and their expenses are paid for by the state. For decades the state has maintained a program that transports welfare patients to the university by ambulances going all over the state and giving medical care as part of its land-grant college program. I suspect they have included these two abortions in that program if it still exists.

My daughter was cared for under this program for 14 years. We would travel to the hospitals in Iowa City four times a year, recieve a checkup and any other help she needed and then be taken home again. They are a teaching hospital and this is what gave them the variety in patients for their students.