Dannenfelser in NYT: Indiana’s Law to Limit Abortions

This Letter to the Editor first appeared online at the New York Times on June 10, 2011.

Indiana’s Law to Limit Abortions

To the Editor:

In your June 3 editorial “When States Punish Women,” you call Indiana’s law barring taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood “dangerous,” saying it will “punish thousands of low-income women on Medicaid.”

I disagree. The law simply says tax dollars can’t go to any entity that performs abortions. No Medicaid benefits are changed, nor is access denied.

In fact, according to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, in the 21 counties affected by the law, there are approximately 800 provider locations eligible to provide Medicaid clients with nonabortion services.

By proposing to cut off all of Indiana’s Medicaid funding, it is the Obama administration that is acting dangerously by jeopardizing the health care of women. The Obama administration should respect the will of Hoosiers and let them manage their own Medicaid program.

MARJORIE DANNENFELSER
Washington, June 8, 2011

The writer is president of Susan B. Anthony List, which helps elect anti-abortion candidates to Congress and statewide office.

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