Michigan’s Family Planning Program
Family planning prevents sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy and which reduces the number of abortions, low birth weight babies and infant mortality. Family Planning allowing people to make informed choices about the number, spacing and timing of their pregnancies and helps them maintain their reproductive health.
Family planning is preventive health care and gynecological medical services that include:
• General health assessment and complete physical exams.
• Screening for cervical cancer and follow-up treatment
• Clinical exams for and education on breast and cervical cancer.
• Screening and counseling for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.
• Counseling on contraception, including abstinence and natural family planning.
• Patient education and pre-pregnancy counseling on the dangers of smoking, alcohol, and drug use during pregnancy.
• Education on sexual coercion and violence in relationships.
Medicaid & Family Planning
Medicaid, using state and federal funds, is the largest source of public health care services and supplies. One in seven Michigan residents participates in the Medicaid Program. Family planning services must be included as part of any Medicaid qualified health plan. These plans are required to reimburse other publicly funded family planning clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, for family planning services provided to an enrollee.
Providing family planning services and supplies saves taxpayer money. Every dollar spent on family planning saves an estimated $6.37 in Medicaid costs for pregnancy related and newborn care in the next year alone.
In Michigan, the Plan First! Medicaid waiver allows coverage of family planning for those from 100–185% percent of poverty who reside in Michigan and meet Medicaid citizenship requirements. Pregnant women up to 185% of poverty are eligible for prenatal care and delivery under Medicaid, a much costlier program.
Michigan ’s Family Planning Program
The Michigan Family Planning Program has four goals:
1. Reduce unintended/unwanted pregnancies and infant mortality in Michigan by providing access to comprehensive family planning services.
2. Reduce preventable infectious disease incidence and mortality, including HIV, STDs, and vaccine-preventable diseases like Hepatitis B.
3. Prevent unwanted/unintended teen pregnancies by providing family planning services to teens.
4. Expand the Department’s capacity to assure that the full range of necessary, high quality family planning services are accessible and acceptable to all populations
Service Delivery: Michigan has an established family planning program. Services are provided to 233,810 women and men through 239 publicly funded family planning clinics across the state including local health departments and Planned Parenthood Health Centers. All agencies have signed a contract with the state and must follow strict program guidelines. Thirty-seven percent of all women who receive subsidized family planning services in Michigan are seen at a Planned Parenthood center.
Targeted Population and Cost In Michigan, there are 562,410 women in need of publicly funded contraceptive services and supplies and we currently have funding to serve only about 40% of those in need. Family planning programs are available to all women and men regardless of income or ability to pay. Clients are seen on a sliding fee scale and assessed fees based on their income and family size. Those at or below 100% of poverty are seen without charge. Those above 250% of the poverty level are assessed full fee which is still approximately 70% of the current private physician fee. The program places emphasis on serving sexually active teens, with 31% of the users being under the age of 20.
While the need for services continues to rise, there remains a lack of increase in family planning funding. . In this time of severe budget constraints, we are very concerned about the future funding of pregnancy prevention and family planning in our state.
