Publicly Funded Abortions in FY 1980 and FY 1981

Abstract

In 1980 the state and federal government spent about 60 million dollars in aid to indigent women seeking abortion under the joint federal-state Medicaid program. The picture remained essentially the same in 1981. Since the implementation of the Hyde Amendment in 1977 (with the exception of a 7 month period in 1978) severe restrictions on federal funding of abortions have been the rule. As a result, state rather than federal funding has accounted for 82% and 92% of public funds spent to finance abortions for poor women in 1981 and 1982, respectively. In a recent survey by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) in which all states except Alaska, Nebraska, Oregon and Arizona responded, 14 states were found to have voluntarily paid for all or all medically necessary abortions for the entire 2-year period. Since the implementation of the Hyde Amendment the trend has been for the federal government to assume 90% of the cost of contraceptive and voluntary sterilization services for Medicaid recipients, with the vast majority of abortions being paid for by the state. Since the 1980 Supreme court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Hyde Amendment, and the 1980 elections which moved antiabortion supporters into power in the White House, prochoice supporters have been pessimistic about continued funding for abortions for indigent women. However, the AGI survey shows encouraging indications that the funding situation may have stabilized and may improve slightly in the future.