PERSPECTIVE Medicaid Policy on Sterilization — Anachronistic or Still Relevant? Sonya Borrero , M.D. , Nikki Zite , M.D. , Joseph E. Potter , Ph.D. , James Trussell , Ph.D. N Engl J Med 370:102 - 104 | January 9 , 2014 Female sterilization, typically accomplished by means of tubal ligation, is a widely used method of contraception that is highly effective at preventing unintended pregnancy. Yet there appears to be unmet demand for the procedure in certain segments of the U.S. population. 1 Specifically, low-income women and women from minority racial and ethnic groups may face substantial system-level barriers to obtaining a desired sterilization procedure. 1 One such barrier is the federal policy regarding Medicaid-funded sterilizations. Although this policy was designed to protect vulnerable populations, we believe that it does not effectively fulfill that intention — in fact, it restricts the reproductive autonomy of the women it intends to serve. With the upcoming Medica...
Comentários