Iowa Pro-Life Advocates Highlight Budget Duplicity for Planned Parenthood

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 5, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Iowa Pro-Life Advocates Highlight Budget Duplicity for Planned Parenthood

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 5
, 2009

Des Moines, IA (LifeNews.com) — Iowa pro-life advocates are please to see the state legislature cutting the taxpayer money the Planned Parenthood abortion business receives through family planning funds. On the flip side, they are disappointed that state lawmakers are increasing the Planned Parenthood Medicaid funding.

The Iowa House has eliminated the family planning line item in its proposed budget to the tune of $750,000.

However, as Steven Brody, the director of Dubuque County Right to Life notes, what is happening is nothing more than a bait and switch.

"This is because an additional $100,000 is being earmarked for Medicaid patients. Based on the 9-1 reimbursement ratio by the federal government, $100,000 can easily turn into $1,000,000," he explains.

Iowa is already one of the largest recipients of the Medicaid Family Planning funds per capita in the U.S., receiving over 21 million even though Iowa is just one percent of the nation’s population.

"Planned Parenthood is making a laughable claim that they are under-funded," Iowa Right to Life director Kim Lehman tells LifeNews.com. "They have money to burn."

In 2007, the abortion business received $5,265,085 in Medicaid funding alone from the state, according to Iowa government figures.

Lehman says the state taxpayer funds have helped Planned Parenthood grow and blossom its abortion advocacy.

"Planned Parenthood has been able to hire 20 new government affairs staff, 28 employees to go door-to-door canvassing neighborhoods, and they pay their director Jill June $167,308.00 — 42.2% increase since 2004 — all under the so-called non-profit status," she said.

Brody is unhappy with some state lawmakers who say they are cutting Planned Parenthood funding.

“The Iowa Legislature can claim that they are saving its taxpayers $750,000 by making tough budget cuts. But in reality, they are merely redirecting and increasing federal taxpayer dollars for family planning," he said. "Planned Parenthood stands to increase their share of taxpayer funds in order to subsidize their operations."

“We call on the Iowa Legislature to eliminate both the $750,000 family planning budget item and the proposed increase in Medicaid funding," he said.

Related web sites:
Iowa Right to Life – https://www.IowaRTL.org
Dubuque County Right to Life – https://www.dcrtl.org

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