|
|
New York State Right to Life Committee, Inc.
For Immediate Support with Critical Life Issues, Call us at (518) 434-1293 |
|
END TAXPAYER FUNDING OF
ABORTION-ON-DEMAND
Sponsor: Senate
Rules Committee (at request of Sen. Young), Bill # S.5623 NYSRTL supports ending the forced taxpayer funding of abortion-on-demand in New York. Under New York State Social Services Law 365, “medically necessary” abortions qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. The figures from the New York State Department of Health for 2003 report that 47,102 abortions, or 41.1% of the total number of reported Induced Abortions (119,685) in New York State were paid for with Medicaid tax dollars. New York State is one of four states to voluntarily forego federal Medicaid reimbursement eligibility requirements for public funding of abortion and fund abortion on demand through Medicaid. Federal taxpayer money by law is designated to pay for abortions only in cases of rape or incest, or to save a mother's life. There is a vast discrepancy between what the federal government and most states pay for with public money, and what NYS expects the taxpayer to fund. The federal government paid for 132 abortions in 1998. New Yorkers are paying for 47,000+ per year. Eighty-eight percent of abortions in New York State are performed in free-standing abortion-dedicated clinics, not in hospitals. Medicaid funds should be used for true medical problems in this state. Abortion is not health care. S. 5623 was brought to the floor and passed the Senate on June 15, 2005, by a vote of 32 yeas to 27 nays. It has been returned to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration this year. The Butler Amendment was defeated in the Assembly on March 31, 2006, by a vote of 100 to 42.
|
| ||||||||
