WASHINGTON - About half of all U.S. women who had abortions in 2002 had undergone at least one previous abortion, according to a study released Tuesday.
Women who had repeat abortions tended to be over age 30 and to have more children, and most were using contraception at the time, the report from the nonprofit Alan Guttmacher Institute found.
***
Most of the women seeking abortions were poor or low-income, and 60 percent had at least one child already
The study also found that one in three U.S. women have given birth to a baby they had not planned for, and one in 10 have had more than one unintended birth.
***
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of the approximately 5.4 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended. More than 4.1 million babies are born in the United States each year.
The CDC has also found that 98 percent of women of reproductive age have used one or more contraceptive methods and 73 percent of women aged 15 to 44 years visited a doctor or clinic for family planning services in 2002.
Globally, 46 million women have abortions each year, with the highest rates in Romania, Cuba and Vietnam and the lowest rates in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. --Click here for full article from MSNBC
Sickness and Maternity Regulatory Framework for Belgium
Exchange rate: US$1.00 equals 0.80 euros (€).
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1894 (mutual benefit societies).
Current law: 1994.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Coverage
The employee must be a member of a mutual benefit society or the public auxiliary fund.
Pensioners and other social security beneficiaries are covered for medical benefits.
Voluntary affiliation is possible for persons not covered under compulsory coverage.
Special systems operate for self-employed persons (health care only) and seamen.
Source of Funds
Insured person: 3.55% of earnings (medical benefits) and 1.15% of earnings (cash benefits and disability pensions). Pensioners contribute 3.55% of the old-age or survivor pension (low-income pensioners are exempt from contributions).
Employer: 3.8% of payroll (medical benefits), 2.2% of payroll (cash benefits and disability pensions), and 0.15% (maternity benefits).
Government: Subsidy for the management of the social security system. Proceeds from a surcharge on automobile insurance and on hospitalization insurance premiums and a tax on the profit made on reimbursable drugs.
Qualifying Conditions
Sickness and medical benefits: Six months of insurance, including 120 days of actual or credited work.
Maternity benefits: Six months of insurance preceding the expected date of childbirth.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Cash sickness benefit: 60% of earnings, subject to a ceiling. After the 31st day of incapacity, the entitlement is 55%; 60% if there are dependents or if the insured is the sole breadwinner. In general, benefits are not payable if the employer provides a guaranteed salary.
The ceiling applied to the basis salary (earnings) is €101.21 a day.
Cash maternity benefit: The benefit is payable for a maximum of 15 weeks (17 weeks in the case of multiple births), including a maximum of 7 weeks (9 weeks in the case of multiple births) before the expected date of childbirth (of which at least 1 week is compulsory) and a minimum of 8 weeks after childbirth. During the first 30 days, the maternity benefit for active workers is 82% of the basis salary (no ceiling); for the unemployed or other eligible persons, 79.5% of the basis salary (subject to a ceiling). The benefit from the 31st day to the end of the 15th week (17th week in the case of multiple births) is 75% of the basis salary (subject to a ceiling) for all types of eligible persons.
The ceiling applied to the basis salary (earnings) is €101.21 a day.
Workers' Medical Benefits
The benefits provided include general and specialist care, surgery, hospitalization, medicines, laboratory services, maternity care, dental care, nursing, rehabilitation, transportation, and appliances.
The insured person pays varying copayments depending on income and status.
There is no limit to duration.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
The benefits provided include general and specialist care, surgery, hospitalization, medicines, laboratory services, maternity care, dental care, nursing, rehabilitation, transportation, and appliances.
The insured person pays varying copayments depending on income and status.
There is no limit to duration.
Administrative Organization
Ministry of Social Affairs, Public Health, and the Environment provides general supervision.
National Social Security Office collects contributions.
National Sickness and Invalidity Insurance Institute coordinates the program together with various management committees for cash and medical benefits.
Local agencies pay benefits, including about 78 approved mutual benefit societies, federated into five national unions, and a separate fund for railway employees. District offices of the public auxiliary fund pay benefits for persons not belonging to a mutual society.
Netherlands
Exchange rate: US$1.00 equals 0.80 euros (€).
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1931.
Current laws: 1964 (medical benefits); 1966 (cash sickness and maternity benefits for wage earners and salaried persons); 1968 (exceptional medical expenses compensation); and 1998 (cash maternity benefits for unemployed workers), implemented in 2001.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Coverage
Cash benefits: Employees who have lost their jobs in the first 2 years of sickness, sick unemployed persons, temporary workers on sick leave without a permanent contract, the voluntarily insured, apprentices, organ donors, vocationally rehabilitated persons as defined in the Disability Reintegration Act, and women whose sickness is caused by pregnancy or childbirth.
Beginning in March 1996, coverage under the Sickness Benefits Act is mostly privatized. Under the civil code, employers must continue to pay 70% of wages (up to a maximum of €167.70 a day) during an employee's absence due to sickness for a maximum of 104 weeks; may be extended to 156 weeks. Employers may deduct the amount of the benefit from the weekly salary.
Medical benefits: Wage earners and salaried employees earning less than €32,600 a year and pensioners. Subject to certain conditions, coverage is extended to a partner and children.
Exceptional medical expenses: All residents.
Source of Funds
Insured person: A flat-rate contribution set by the sickness fund, plus 1.25% of earnings for medical benefits and 13.25% of earnings for exceptional medical expenses insurance.
The contribution for sickness and maternity benefits for (un)employed workers is included in the contribution for unemployment benefits. The contribution for maternity benefits for self-employed workers is included in the contribution for disability benefits for self-employed workers.
Employer: 6.75% of payroll for medical benefits. The contribution for sickness and maternity benefits is included in the contribution for unemployment benefits for employed workers.
Government: Annually determined contribution toward the financing of medical benefits.
The minimum annual earnings for contribution purposes are €13,159.
The maximum earnings for contribution purposes are €113 a day (medical benefits); €29,543 a year (exceptional medical expenses); and €38,117 a year (cash sickness benefits and maternity benefits for unemployed workers).
Qualifying Conditions
Sickness benefit: Inability to perform normal work.
Maternity benefit: Employed or unemployed.
Medical benefits: Registered with an approved sickness fund.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Sickness benefit: 70% of earnings up to the daily maximum earnings of €167.70. Benefit is payable for up to 104 weeks; may be extended to 156 weeks.
Maternity benefit: 100% of earnings up to the daily maximum of €167.70. Benefit is payable for a period of 16 weeks around childbirth.
Workers' Medical Benefits
Service benefits are provided by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists under contract with, and paid directly by, sickness funds. Benefits include general and specialist care, hospitalization, laboratory services, medicines, limited dental care, maternity care, appliances, rehabilitation, and transportation.
Cost sharing: Specific cost-sharing arrangements for long-term hospitalization, artificial limbs, and transportation.
There is no limit on duration (except for physiotherapy).
Exceptional medical expenses insurance takes over the cost of hospital stay from the 366th day.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
Service benefits are provided by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists under contract with, and paid directly by, sickness funds. Benefits include general and specialist care, hospitalization, laboratory services, medicines, limited dental care, appliances, rehabilitation, and transportation.
Cost sharing: Specific cost-sharing arrangements for long-term hospitalization, artificial limbs, and transportation.
There is no limit on duration (except for physiotherapy).
Exceptional medical expenses insurance takes over the cost of hospital stay from the 366th day.
Maternity care: The partner and children of an insured man receive the same nursing or hospitalization benefits as that of an insured woman.
Death benefit: 100% of earnings up to the daily maximum of €167.70. The benefit is payable for a maximum of 1 month.
Administrative Organization
Inspection of Work and Income provides general supervision of cash benefits.
Institute for Employee Benefit Schemes collects contributions for medical benefits and administers cash benefits for sickness and maternity.
Supervisory Board for Health Care Insurance provides general supervision of medical benefits and exceptional medical expenses benefits.
National Revenue Department collects contributions for cash benefits for maternity on behalf of unemployed workers and for exceptional medical expenses insurance.
Germany
Exchange rate: US$1.00 equals 0.80 euros (€).
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1883.
Current laws: 1924 (maternity benefits); 1988, 2002, and 2003 (sickness insurance); and 1994 (long-term care).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Coverage
All wage and salary workers earning up to €41,850 a year; pensioners, students, and persons with disabilities under certain conditions; and apprentices and beneficiaries of unemployment benefits.
Voluntary insurance is possible for persons whose compulsory insurance ends, subject to certain conditions.
Special systems for miners, artists, public-sector employees, and self-employed farmers.
Long-term care for all persons covered by the statutory sickness insurance scheme and some special groups subject to certain conditions. Persons with private sickness insurance must buy equivalent private coverage for long-term care.
Source of Funds
Sickness and maternity benefits
Insured person: Contributions vary by fund. On average, 7% of covered earnings. No contribution if monthly earnings are less than €400; a reduced contribution if monthly earnings are between €400 and €800. Pensioners contribute 7% of the pension on average. (Pension insurance organizations pay the same contribution as, and on behalf of, compulsorily insured pensioners and a contribution subsidy for voluntarily insured pensioners.)
Employer: Contributions vary by fund. On average, 7% of covered earnings; 11% of covered earnings for employees with monthly earnings less than €400.
Government: Subsidy for maternity benefits and for pensioned farmers' and students' health benefits. The cost of benefits for unemployed and persons in authorized training.
The maximum annual earnings for benefit and contribution purposes are €41,850 (adjusted annually to 75% of the pension contributions ceiling).
Long-term care benefits
Insured person: In one federal state, 1.35% of earnings; in all other federal states, 0.85% of earnings. Pensioners contribute on 0.85% of the pension until March 31, 2004; thereafter, 1.7% of the pension. (Until March 31, 2004, pension insurance organizations will pay the same contribution as, and on behalf of, compulsorily insured pensioners and a contribution subsidy for voluntarily insured pensioners; thereafter, the contributions will cease.)
Employer: In one federal state, 0.35% of payroll; in all other federal states, 0.85% of payroll.
Government: Contributes for unemployed persons and farmers and for students receiving benefits under the Federal Education Support Act.
The maximum annual earnings for contribution purposes (long-term care) are €41,850 (adjusted annually to 75% of the pension contributions ceiling).
Qualifying Conditions
Cash sickness and medical benefits: Membership in a sickness fund. No minimum membership period is required for medical benefits.
Cash sickness benefits: Insured persons who are unable to work or are taking care of a sick child younger than age 12.
Cash maternity benefits: Payable to female sickness fund members.
Long-term care benefits: Five years of insurance in the last 10 years. The benefit entitlement varies corresponding to a substantial need for care requiring at least one daily procedure, a severe need for care requiring procedures three times a day, or a critical need for care with round-the-clock care required.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Sickness benefit: Sickness funds pay 70% of gross earnings (up to a maximum of 90% of net earnings) for up to 78 weeks in a 3-year period for the same illness.
If a child is ill, sickness benefit is paid up to 10 working days per child but no longer than 25 days per insured person in each calendar year. In single-parent households, the benefit is payable for 20 working days per child, up to 50 days in a calendar year.
Maternity benefit: For female sickness fund members with an employment contract, a benefit equal to 100% of net earnings (up to €13 a day from the sickness fund with the remainder paid by the employer) is payable 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the expected date of birth; other fund members receive the same amount as for sickness benefit.
Long-term care allowance: A carer's allowance is payable to insured persons who organize care provision for themselves (for example, care provided by relatives). The allowance is €205, €410, or €665 a month depending on the degree and frequency of care required.
The carer's allowance may be combined with benefits in kind (see home care benefits under Worker's Medical Benefits, below) provided by a professional care worker (the carer's allowance decreases in proportion to claimed in-kind benefits).
Social security contributions for carers: Contributions are paid for old-age pension insurance by long-term care funds on behalf of unpaid relatives who provide care for at least 14 hours a week for a person needing care at home and who are not employed for more than 30 hours a week. The paid contributions depend on the level of care required. Insurance coverage for work injury is also provided. When care giving ceases, former carers have the right to a cost-of-living allowance in order to facilitate their return to employment.
Workers' Medical Benefits
Benefits are provided to patients by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists under contract with sickness funds. Benefits include comprehensive medical and dental care, preventive examinations and treatment, laboratory tests, maternity care with a midwife or doctor, hospitalization, surgery, appliances, and prescribed medicines.
Cost sharing: A copayment is necessary for certain benefits (including medicines, appliances, ambulatory care, hospitalization, and transportation) but not for hardship cases (depending on means).
Long-term care (home care benefits): Benefits include care at home and housework provided by professional care workers or outpatient care services, appliances and technical assistance (such as home modification), day and night care (including services partially provided by a care establishment), short-term institutional care, care at home if the care organized by the insured person (see long-term care cash benefits, above) is temporarily unavailable. The maximum benefit amounts are fixed for the different services.
In-kind benefits for care at home are €384, €921, or €1,432, depending on the level of care required.
Long-term care (institutional care benefits): The cost of care services is covered up to maximum amounts. The insured pays the cost of room and meals.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
Medical benefits: Same as for the insured person.
Long-term care benefits: Same as for the insured person.
Administrative Organization
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security provides general supervision.
Federal Insurance Institute supervises federal health insurance.
Supervision at state level by designated state authorities.
Sickness funds administer contributions and benefits. Separate sickness funds are organized within federations at the national level and, if applicable, at the state level. Day-to-day administration of funds is handled by a board of directors who are elected by an administrative council generally consisting of representatives of insured persons and employers.
Regional physicians' associations contract annually with federations of funds for payment for medical services. The total sum paid by sickness funds to physicians' associations is apportioned by the latter to participating doctors.
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security provides general supervision of long-term care. Separate funds for long-term care organized by sickness funds and private sickness insurance funds administer benefits. Federal states pay construction costs for long-term care institutions.
Switzerland
Exchange rate: US$1.00 equals 1.27 francs.
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1911.
Current laws: 1994 (sickness insurance) and 2000 (social insurance).
Type of program: Mandatory (medical care) and voluntary (cash benefits) private insurance system.
Coverage
Cash benefits: All persons resident in Switzerland involved in gainful activity and older than age 15 but younger than age 65 can buy insurance providing daily allowances.
Medical care: All persons resident in Switzerland.
Source of Funds
Insured person
Cash benefits: Premiums vary depending on the fund, benefits provided for the insured, age at the date of entry, and the region.
Medical care: A single premium for funds in the same region.
Employer
Cash benefits: Contributions are not required by law, but some collective agreements require the employer to share employees' membership fees.
Medical care: None.
Government
Cash benefits: None.
Medical care: Federal subsidies to cantons permit reduced premiums paid by low-income earners. Cantons must provide minimum additional assistance.
Qualifying Conditions
Cash sickness benefits: The benefit is payable to insured persons after a 3-day waiting period, unless agreed otherwise.
Cash maternity benefits: Nine months (270 days) of membership without interruption of more than 3 months.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Sickness benefit: The amount of the daily allowance is set by agreement between the insurer and the insured. The benefit is payable after a 3-day waiting period, unless agreed otherwise, for up to at least 720 days in a period of 900 consecutive days.
Maternity benefit: The benefit is payable for up to 16 weeks, including at least 8 weeks after childbirth.
Workers' Medical Benefits
A comprehensive list of service benefits is set by law. Funds can also provide additional benefits through complementary insurance. There is no time limit on duration.
Cost sharing: The patient pays 100% of costs up to a ceiling (standard ceiling is 300 francs) and 10% of costs above this ceiling up to a set annual total. In addition, there is a daily contribution of 10 francs for hospitalization costs (except for insured persons who live with at least one member of their family). There is no cost sharing for maternity care.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
Medical insurance is individual. Insured persons receive benefits in their own right.
A comprehensive list of service benefits is set by law. Funds can also provide additional benefits through complementary insurance. There is no time limit on duration.
Cost sharing: The patient pays 100% of costs up to a ceiling (standard ceiling is 300 francs) and 10% of costs above this ceiling up to a set annual total. In addition, there is a daily contribution of 10 francs for hospitalization costs (except for insured persons who live with at least one member of their family). There is no cost sharing for maternity care.
Administrative Organization
Federal Office of Social Insurance supervises compliance.
Recognized funds and private insurance companies are authorized to administer and provide health insurance. There were 108 recognized funds in 2001.
United States
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First and current lawsCash benefits: Rhode Island (1942), California (1946), New Jersey (1948), New York (1949), Hawaii (1969), and Puerto Rico (1968).
Medical benefits: 1965 (health insurance for aged) and 1972 (health insurance for disabled).
Type of program: Social insurance systems.
Coverage
Cash benefits: Employees in industry and commerce in six jurisdictions. Most agricultural workers, except in New York.
Self-employed persons in California may elect to participate.
Contracting-out is allowed, except in Rhode Island. (There are no programs in 45 states.)
Special national system for railroad employees (cash benefits) and a federal/state system for the medically indigent (medical benefits).
Medical benefits
Hospitalization: Persons eligible for a pension and aged 65 or older, certain others who qualify at age 65, disability pensioners on rolls for more than 2 years, and persons with end-stage kidney disease.
Other medical services: Persons eligible for a pension aged 65 or older, certain others who qualify at age 65, disability pensioners on rolls for more than 2 years, persons with end-stage kidney disease, and all other persons aged 65 or older through voluntary coverage.
Source of Funds
Insured person
Cash benefits: Up to 1.2% of taxable earnings, according to the jurisdiction.
Hospitalization: 1.45% (self-employed, 2.9%), paid by all workers who are covered for old-age, disability, and survivor benefits, plus some federal and state and local employees.
Other medical services: Pensioners contribute U.S.$45.50 a month.
Employer
Cash benefits: Variable payroll contributions are paid in Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York; 0.5% of payroll in Puerto Rico.
Hospitalization: 1.45% of payroll.
Other medical services: None.
Government
Cash benefits: None.
Hospitalization: Total cost of hospitalization benefits for certain noninsured aged persons.
Other medical services: The balance of the cost for voluntary insurance.
The maximum annual earnings for contribution purposes for cash benefits are U.S.$6,900 to U.S.$38,000.
There are no maximum earnings for contribution purposes for hospitalization.
Qualifying Conditions
Cash benefits: For insured persons with the required minimum insured wages in the last year (from U.S.$300 to U.S.$6,900), specific weeks of employment in the last year (from 4 to 20 weeks), or a combination of these conditions.
Medical benefits
Hospitalization: Pensioners aged 65 or older, disabled persons entitled to disability benefits for at least 2 years, or persons with end-stage kidney disease.
Other medical services: Meets the requirement for hospitalization benefits, election of coverage, and payment of required premiums.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Sickness benefit: Cash benefits vary, depending on the jurisdiction; 75% of earnings (Rhode Island), 66.6% (Hawaii), and 53% (New Jersey). A variable proportion of quarterly or annual earnings (California, New York, and Puerto Rico). A supplement of U.S.$5 a week per child up to a maximum of four children is payable in Rhode Island only.
Benefit is payable after 7-day waiting period (waived in California and Puerto Rico from the date of hospitalization) for up to 52 weeks.
The maximum benefit varies by jurisdiction.
Maternity benefit: Cash benefits vary, depending on the jurisdiction; 75% of earnings (Rhode Island), 66.6% (Hawaii), and 53% (New Jersey). A variable proportion of quarterly or annual earnings (California, New York, and Puerto Rico).
Workers' Medical Benefits
Hospitalization: Inpatient care is provided for stays of up to 90 days; the beneficiary is responsible for the first-day deductible of U.S.$768 (amount adjusted each year) and, for the 60th to the 90th day, 1/4 of the first-day deductible amount per day. For inpatient care longer than 90 days, coverage is available for up to 60 lifetime reserve days (the beneficiary is responsible for 1/2 of the first-day deductible amount per day). Posthospital skilled nursing facility care for an additional 100 days (the patient pays U.S.$96 for the 21st to the 100th day); laboratory and X-ray services for inpatients; and posthospital home health services.
Other medical services: Payment for 80% of reasonable charges above U.S.$100 a year for physician's services, outpatient diagnostic and physical therapy, laboratory services, appliances, and transportation; 100% of reasonable charges for home health services (after a U.S.$100 deductible is paid).
Persons eligible for both hospitalization and other medical services under the regular Medicare program, except for those with end-stage kidney disease, can as an alternative elect to participate in one of several types of Medicare Plus Choice plan if one is available in their jurisdiction.
Federal/state assistance programs: Medical services are provided to medically indigent persons of any age.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
Benefits are only for persons aged 65 or older who satisfy other qualifying requirements or who have end-stage kidney disease.
Hospitalization: Inpatient care is provided for stays of up to 90 days; the beneficiary is responsible for the first-day deductible of U.S.$768 (amount adjusted each year) and, for the 60th to the 90th day, 1/4 of the first-day deductible amount per day. For inpatient care longer than 90 days, coverage is available for up to 60 lifetime reserve days (the beneficiary is responsible for 1/2 of the first-day deductible amount per day). Posthospital skilled nursing facility care for an additional 100 days (the patient pays U.S.$96 for the 21st to the 100th day); laboratory and X-ray services for inpatients; and posthospital home health services.
Other medical services: Payment for 80% of reasonable charges above U.S.$100 a year for physician's services, outpatient diagnostic and physical therapy, laboratory services, appliances, and transportation; 100% of reasonable charges for home health services (after a U.S.$100 deductible is paid).
Persons eligible for both hospitalization and other medical services under the regular Medicare program, except for those with end-stage kidney disease, can as an alternative elect to participate in one of several types of Medicare Plus Choice plan if one is available in their jurisdiction.
Federal/state assistance programs: Medical services are provided to medically indigent persons of any age.
Administrative Organization
Cash benefits: State employment security agencies, except in New York (Workers' Compensation Board) and Hawaii (Labor Department), deliver benefits.
Medical benefits: Department of Health and Human Services provides general supervision. Centers for Medicare and Medical Services provide the national administration of the program in cooperation with the Public Health Service, Social Security Administration, and state health departments.
Private carriers and public agencies, serving under contract as intermediary administrative agents, determine and make payments to providers of services or to patients.
Medical services are furnished by providers paid for directly by carriers, or through refunds to patients by carriers of part of the medical expenses.
Includes nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, commercial insurance companies, and group-practice prepayment plans.
Labels: abortion, children, government, news, parenthood, political commentary, politics, stupid laws, women
said...Okay, so I honestly didn't read all of the details for each country, but I felt the need to comment, anyway. Don't you just hate people like me? Either way, I remember hearing something about awesome maternity benefits in Norway a while back. They get a whole lot of time off, apparently, a quarter of which MUST be taken by the father.
That's what I thought was awesome... their children actually get to spend some of their formative years with their fathers. Not only that, but since they instituted this policy, crime levels in their cities have dropped because there've been more responsible adult men about the town with their kids. Sounds like a good idea to me. I'd research it more, but... eh, it's not really up my alley.
-Gungy
said...That's really cool. I remember reading about that, actually. More industrialized nations are including paternity benefits as part of family planning. Not the USA. Or Australia. But places like France and Britain are doing that.
I just find it sadly ironic that our country, who re-elected a stupid president (if we want to believe he was, indeed, legally re-elected) on the basis that his platform stressed "family values" -- and yet nothing is done to actually help families. I just don't get it.
I read that Michigan Tech, though, is building a child care facility on campus near the forestry building, which will have the capacity to take care of 40 infants/children. They're doing this to entice younger professors to come to campus. I thought that was interesting.
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