Wisconsin Provides Free Birth Control, But Will Republicans Block Access?

Every day 10,000 young people become infected with sexually transmitted infections and 2,000 young women become pregnant, according to James Wagoner of Advocates for Youth,

If you live in Wisconsin, however, you're in luck -- for the time being. If you're between the ages of 15 and 44 years old, and make up to 300% of the federal poverty level, you have access to free family planning, sexually transmitted infection testing, and vasectomies. It means that if you're wanting to be responsible and prevent pregnancy and STI transmission, protect your health and the health of those with whom you are sexually intimate, you'll have access to those tools that will help.

Wisconsin recently became the first state to expand the free family planning and STI prevention program to more residents (as well as make it permanent), under its Medicaid program, with the help of the federal government. The expansion was approved on December 22nd and now allows individuals who make up to $32, 490 to access the health services. It's cost-effective; it's smart public health policy; and it's the right thing to do.

Unless, that is, you're a Republican about to take the reins of the state's government.

In that case, you'd be preparing to cut the availability of these particular health services under Medicaid. Wisconsin may soon become a battleground over reproductive health politics with a new group of extremely conservative, anti-birth control legislators and leaders headed into office. Anti-choice Republicans from Governor-elect Scott Walker to Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) who will, according to the Journal-Sentinel Online (JSOnline), sit on the budget writing Joint Finance Committee have already registered their disapproval. Some legislators, like State Representative Daniel LeMahieu, who will sit on the Joint Finance Committee in the Assembly are opposed to birth control access completely -- even for rape victims.

Grothman, speaking about the newly expanded family planning access, told JSOnline, "I certainly intend to pare it back as much as I can."

Governor-elect Scott Walker has even talked of doing away with the state's Medicaid program, BadgerCare, completely.

Unfortunately, the incoming Republican leadership, armed with ideology instead of evidence, aims to rule with rhetoric rather than unbiased information.

We, apparently, need to reiterate for Republicans what they've conveniently chosen to ignore: public health prevention programs like access to family planning, birth control, vasectomies, women's reproductive health exams, sexually transmitted infection testing and more save lives - and money. In 2008, Wisconsin spent $18.4 million on the Medicaid family planning program (the federal government reimburses 90% of the cost). Money saved? Just in terms of the prevention of unplanned pregnancies, the state estimates it saved over $139 million in birth and health care related costs. That doesn't include the billions of dollars in federal money saved from preventing STIs and pregnancies in young people.

If Republicans are committed to cost savings and fiscal responsibility; and we know that saving the health and lives of all Americans -- not just those who can afford to pay for health care - is the right thing to do, just what is "controversial" about any of this?

Tell Republicans on the state's powerful Joint Finance Committee in which Republicans will soon hold the majority of the 16 seats, including Sen. Glenn Grothman and Rep. Daniel LeMahieu, to retain the state's Medicaid Family Planning Program.

Photo credit: bimurch

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