Texas pays 2 to 3x for unlicenced abortion alternatives counselors/mentors than for family planning

[Shallah Kali]

Texas pays higher rate for abortion alternatives counselors/mentors than for family planning nurses
Basic clinic visit costs state about $20 or $31; nonprofits bill state $63 an hour for counseling/mentoring
http://washingtonindependent.com/107750/texas-pays-higher-rate-for-abortion-alternatives-counselorsmentors-than-for-family-planning-nurses



When Texas representatives voted to move $7.3 million into the state’s Alternatives to Abortion Services Program from family planning services, they shifted funds to an initiative that pays $63 an hour for unlicensed volunteers to counsel/mentor pregnant women and refer them to other social services — a higher rate, oftentimes, than the state reimburses clinics for medical professionals to provide health care services to women, in addition to the education and referrals that occur during visits.

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FPCB clinics are primarily staffed by nurse practitioners (requiring a masters-level degree) with oversight from a medical director and some aspects of visits performed by medical assistants, she said.

For the most basic type of visit — consisting of a pregnancy test and about 45 minutes spent providing the woman with information about resources such as social services and drug/alcohol counseling –the state would reimburse FPCB about $20 for a returning patient and $31 for a new patient, according to Medicaid program rates, Stukenberg said.

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Meanwhile, the state’s Alternatives to Abortion contractor Texas Pregnancy Care Network reimburses their service providers at the following base rates: $1.05 per minute for counseling/mentoring, $1.05 per minute for referrals, $21 per class (more than one student), $10.50 per visit for material assistance (with 20 minutes of counseling/mentoring, to be billed separately, also required).



lots of detailed info in this article so please click through and read.