Some want unwed dads to pick up Medicaid’s birth costs

STL Today ^ | 07/25/2005 | Virginia Young

[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.

[Publius6961]

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...

[Publius6961]

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...

[Publius6961]

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.

[Publius6961]

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!!

[Psycho_Bunny]

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.

[Publius6961]

The most important part of your last post got left out.
Would you kindly repost?

[river rat]

I accept that improved perspective...

Semper Fi

[Psycho_Bunny]

 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.

[MRMEAN]

Take a look at posts 50 and 53.

[Teacher317]

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.

[defal33]

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.

[goodnesswins]

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

[defal33]

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


because thay are not using them...

[goodnesswins]

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

[Jim Noble]

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.

[Jim Noble]

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.

[Lorianne]

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

[MRMEAN]

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

See post 34 by Mrs Mark.

[Publius6961]

I think, but am not sure that we're saying the same thing.

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

[Publius6961]

You mean my firing squad suggestion is too mild?