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Some want unwed dads to pick up Medicaid’s birth costs
STL Today ^ | 07/25/2005 | Virginia Young

Posted on 07/29/2005 8:51:35 PM PDT by Lorianne

JEFFERSON CITY - Some Republican legislators want to charge unwed fathers thousands of dollars for hospital birth costs incurred by low-income mothers on Medicaid.

"But the last time I checked, it takes two people to make a baby. And there is some responsibility, not just for child support, but for the cost of bringing that child successfully into the world," said Shields, R-St. Joseph.

Medicaid pays for 43 percent of the births in Missouri. At an average cost of $3,286 a birth, the tab hit $120.6 million last year. Nearly two-thirds of the moms on Medicaid are unmarried.

Critics say mother and baby would suffer under Shields' proposal because some women would give up Medicaid and forgo prenatal care rather than cooperate in efforts to bill the father for hospital costs.

Studies in other states have concluded that birth recovery policies discourage fathers from voluntarily establishing paternity and take money that otherwise would help low-income fathers support their children. That is especially true in families where the unmarried parents live together as a family.

"In reality, there are a lot of fathers that just don't have the income," said Ruth Ehresman, policy director of Citizens for Missouri's Children.

(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: babymommas; choice; deadbeatdads; fatherhood; fathersrights; medicaid; reproduction; reproductiverights
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To: river rat
The REAL bastards in this case, are those that bring children into this world, without real and capable parents.

No.Those are the ignorant bastards.

The REAL bastards are the ones who live off the industry of enablers. Making the whole "babies for fun and profit" possible...

61 posted on 07/30/2005 9:22:28 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Moose4
If you're man enough to stick it in, you're man enough to take responsibility for what comes out. End of discussion.

What a stupid statement!
D'OH!

I think we can all agree on the obvious.
The real issue is: how do you force them to?

Do you have any practical ideas?
Mine is give them a choice. Firing squad or...

62 posted on 07/30/2005 9:26:20 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: XEHRpa
When will people wake up and return to traditional values that work?

We're all awake, dumbo.

Look closely; we're not the problem.

The problem is people who can breed, but don't have the mental capacity ever to make sense of what you posted.

63 posted on 07/30/2005 9:29:00 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: MRMEAN
Texas law denying right of paternal support to illegitimate children while granting it to legitimate children violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Cf. Levy v. Louisiana, 391 U.S. 68 ; Weber v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co., 406 U.S. 164 .

Beam me up Scotty!

Anyone else notice that this didn't work? It failed utterly to accomplish its purpose?

It didn't "fix" a "defect" in equal protection

It simply shifted its satisfaction to the taxpayer!

IDIOT ALERT!!

64 posted on 07/30/2005 9:38:13 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Lorianne
Some Republican legislators want to charge unwed fathers thousands of dollars for hospital birth costs incurred by low-income mothers on Medicaid.

Ridiculous.  For so many reasons.

65 posted on 07/30/2005 9:41:33 AM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (Every evil which liberals imagine Judaism and Christianity to be, islam is.)
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To: Psycho_Bunny
The most important part of your last post got left out.
Would you kindly repost?
66 posted on 07/30/2005 9:44:37 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Publius6961

I accept that improved perspective...

Semper Fi


67 posted on 07/30/2005 10:43:37 AM PDT by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: Publius6961
 Are these planned or unplanned pregnancies?  "Poor single women" - I'd say "unplanned".

Is there a larger group of people more irresponsible than poor unwed fathers who don't step up to the plate when they get a girl pregnant? Because I guarantee we aren't talking about BMW-driving executives when discussing the target of this legislation.  The vast majority of these guys aren't going to pay volunteerally and they aren't garnishable.  The collection costs would never be covered going after these bozos.  The debts would be nothing but "Bad Paper" - in the parlance of the collections industry.

All in all this would be a complete waste of time and money.

68 posted on 07/30/2005 10:47:48 AM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (Every evil which liberals imagine Judaism and Christianity to be, islam is.)
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To: defal33

Take a look at posts 50 and 53.


69 posted on 07/30/2005 12:24:06 PM PDT by MRMEAN (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself. - Mark Tw)
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To: Lorianne
Some want unwed dads to pick up Medicaid’s birth costs

Would disproportionately affect poor black males (70+% illegit birth rates), ergo it is racist to even suggest it.

70 posted on 07/30/2005 12:38:21 PM PDT by Teacher317
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To: MRMEAN

Don’t want kids, put on a rubber. It easier to just read the direction on the box or look at the pictures on how to use a condom, and like I said, “custody of a child born between two unmarried consenting adults is another matter”. I am talking about women and men going at it like dogs for pleasure and profit.


71 posted on 07/30/2005 12:58:57 PM PDT by defal33 (Get 'er done!)
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To: defal33

CONDOM'S have been promoted for years.....and are NOT reliable among certain populations for birth control....NEXT SUGGESTION?


72 posted on 07/30/2005 1:41:46 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Our military......the world's HEROES!)
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To: goodnesswins

NOT reliable among certain populations for birth control....


because thay are not using them...


73 posted on 07/30/2005 4:22:23 PM PDT by defal33 (Get 'er done!)
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To: defal33

well, maybe....but also....because....they are OLD or used improperly.....in other words.....CONDOMS are NOT that reliable all alone.


74 posted on 07/30/2005 4:54:48 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Our military......the world's HEROES!)
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To: Publius6961
It didn't "fix" a "defect" in equal protection

Marriage should entail more protection for women contemplating pregnancy that whoring around-which is the point of the wise common law overturned by Gomez vs. Perez.

75 posted on 07/30/2005 6:15:20 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God)
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To: Psycho_Bunny
Is there a larger group of people more irresponsible than poor unwed fathers who don't step up to the plate when they get a girl pregnant?

Certainly. The mothers of their children are COSMICALLY more irresponsible.

76 posted on 07/30/2005 6:17:08 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God)
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To: MRMEAN

I love it how so many men are keen to exempt men from personal responsiblity.


77 posted on 07/30/2005 9:03:15 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne
I love it how so many men are keen to exempt men from personal responsiblity.

See post 34 by Mrs Mark.

78 posted on 07/30/2005 9:47:56 PM PDT by MRMEAN (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself. - Mark Tw)
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To: Jim Noble
I think, but am not sure that we're saying the same thing.

Babies for fun and profit has its price. Or should.

79 posted on 07/30/2005 9:54:08 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Lorianne

You mean my firing squad suggestion is too mild?


80 posted on 07/30/2005 9:55:46 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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