The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is likely to provide public funding for emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault and rape as a state program remains in limbo.
The move comes as more than 160 reimbursement requests for emergency contraception provided to sexual assault survivors from across the state are pending approval from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.
According to records obtained by The Gazette, and first reported by Iowa Public Radio, the reimbursement requests from hospitals and pharmacies across the state total about $7,000. The vast majority are from this year, but one dates to August 2020. One is coded as confirmed child abuse.
Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird paused the funding as part of an audit of the victim services administered through her office. Bird announced the audit upon taking office in January.
However, it was not until early April that sexual assault response teams and other victim advocacy organizations learned of the policy change after her office confirmed it to the media, according to interviews and emails obtained by The Gazette under a public records request.
⧉ Related article: Johnson County considers paying for rape victims’ medication
Though the payments are not explicitly required by law, it has been the state’s longtime policy to cover the cost of emergency contraception from the victim compensation fund. In rare cases, the fund also has paid for abortions for rape victims, Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, director of the victim assistance division under the previous attorney general, Democrat Tom Miller, has said.
Bird, a Republican, defeated Miller in the 2022 election.
The Attorney General’s Office said in April it was reviewing the practice to evaluate “whether this is an appropriate use of public funds" as it conducts an audit of victim assistance services.
The Attorney General’s Office did not respond to a request for comment on the current state of its review process.
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Bird said during an appearance last month on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS that policy decisions made as a result of the audit, including whether to stop state funding for emergency contraception and abortions for rape victims, will be permanent and will not require legislative action.
Iowa law requires the state to pay for many of the expenses facing assault survivors who seek medical help, including the cost of forensic examinations to collect evidence and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. That is funded through the state's victim compensation fund, which comes from fines, fees and penalties paid by criminals. No taxpayer dollars go into the fund.
Sexual assault nurse examiners who spoke to The Gazette say hospitals and pharmacies are continuing to dispense medications to victims who request them, and continue to submit invoices to Bird’s office seeking reimbursement. Patients are not being billed at this point.
For now, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is temporarily holding claims while it awaits the outcome of the audit.
"University of Iowa Health Care is committed to supporting the health care needs of sexual assault victims," according to a statement from UIHC. "We are currently preparing for any potential operational changes that may be necessary in the event the Iowa Attorney General’s Office stops payment of emergency contraception for sexual assault victims."
During its Wednesday work session, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors heard a funding request from the Johnson County Sexual Assault Response Team to provide emergency contraception at no cost to patients. The board was in agreement to allocate $10,000 and appears likely to approve the item at its formal meeting next week.
“Asking victims of sexual assault to forgo or to shoulder the cost of emergency contraception is further traumatizing them. No one should be required to pay for necessary health care due to a crime committed against their body,” said Katy Rasmussen, coordinator for the Johnson County Sexual Assault Response Team.
The team consists of sexual assault nurse examiners, emergency room staff, rape victim advocates, law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys, Rasmussen said. The team helps sexual assault victims navigate the medical and legal systems, as well as help them on their healing process.
For the fiscal year that ended in June, the team saw 101 patients. Of those, 46 were prescribed emergency contraception.
Rasmussen said many patients don’t have financial means to pay for this medication, and using their insurance can put them in greater danger if they share insurance with their abuser.
“We are disappointed the Attorney General isn’t sustaining this support for victims, but somebody needs to and so we’re going to step up and do it,” Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan told The Gazette.
Bird has been a vocal opponent of abortion. But sexual assault nurse examiners, along with other victim advocates, have emphasized that emergency contraceptives are not abortion pills. The medication delays or prevents ovulation, preventing a pregnancy from occurring, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Planned Parenthood North Central States issued a statement Thursday calling on Bird’s office to reinstate the reimbursements, saying sexual assault survivors deserve compassionate, comprehensive care that she "is cruelly putting that out of reach."
“The last thing they should have to worry about is affording the care they need after being attacked,” Ruth Richardson, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in a statement.
www.thegazette.com
The move comes as more than 160 reimbursement requests for emergency contraception provided to sexual assault survivors from across the state are pending approval from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.
According to records obtained by The Gazette, and first reported by Iowa Public Radio, the reimbursement requests from hospitals and pharmacies across the state total about $7,000. The vast majority are from this year, but one dates to August 2020. One is coded as confirmed child abuse.
Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird paused the funding as part of an audit of the victim services administered through her office. Bird announced the audit upon taking office in January.
However, it was not until early April that sexual assault response teams and other victim advocacy organizations learned of the policy change after her office confirmed it to the media, according to interviews and emails obtained by The Gazette under a public records request.
⧉ Related article: Johnson County considers paying for rape victims’ medication
Though the payments are not explicitly required by law, it has been the state’s longtime policy to cover the cost of emergency contraception from the victim compensation fund. In rare cases, the fund also has paid for abortions for rape victims, Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, director of the victim assistance division under the previous attorney general, Democrat Tom Miller, has said.
Bird, a Republican, defeated Miller in the 2022 election.
The Attorney General’s Office said in April it was reviewing the practice to evaluate “whether this is an appropriate use of public funds" as it conducts an audit of victim assistance services.
The Attorney General’s Office did not respond to a request for comment on the current state of its review process.
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Bird said during an appearance last month on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS that policy decisions made as a result of the audit, including whether to stop state funding for emergency contraception and abortions for rape victims, will be permanent and will not require legislative action.
Iowa law requires the state to pay for many of the expenses facing assault survivors who seek medical help, including the cost of forensic examinations to collect evidence and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. That is funded through the state's victim compensation fund, which comes from fines, fees and penalties paid by criminals. No taxpayer dollars go into the fund.
Sexual assault nurse examiners who spoke to The Gazette say hospitals and pharmacies are continuing to dispense medications to victims who request them, and continue to submit invoices to Bird’s office seeking reimbursement. Patients are not being billed at this point.
For now, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is temporarily holding claims while it awaits the outcome of the audit.
"University of Iowa Health Care is committed to supporting the health care needs of sexual assault victims," according to a statement from UIHC. "We are currently preparing for any potential operational changes that may be necessary in the event the Iowa Attorney General’s Office stops payment of emergency contraception for sexual assault victims."
During its Wednesday work session, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors heard a funding request from the Johnson County Sexual Assault Response Team to provide emergency contraception at no cost to patients. The board was in agreement to allocate $10,000 and appears likely to approve the item at its formal meeting next week.
“Asking victims of sexual assault to forgo or to shoulder the cost of emergency contraception is further traumatizing them. No one should be required to pay for necessary health care due to a crime committed against their body,” said Katy Rasmussen, coordinator for the Johnson County Sexual Assault Response Team.
The team consists of sexual assault nurse examiners, emergency room staff, rape victim advocates, law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys, Rasmussen said. The team helps sexual assault victims navigate the medical and legal systems, as well as help them on their healing process.
For the fiscal year that ended in June, the team saw 101 patients. Of those, 46 were prescribed emergency contraception.
Rasmussen said many patients don’t have financial means to pay for this medication, and using their insurance can put them in greater danger if they share insurance with their abuser.
“We are disappointed the Attorney General isn’t sustaining this support for victims, but somebody needs to and so we’re going to step up and do it,” Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan told The Gazette.
Bird has been a vocal opponent of abortion. But sexual assault nurse examiners, along with other victim advocates, have emphasized that emergency contraceptives are not abortion pills. The medication delays or prevents ovulation, preventing a pregnancy from occurring, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Planned Parenthood North Central States issued a statement Thursday calling on Bird’s office to reinstate the reimbursements, saying sexual assault survivors deserve compassionate, comprehensive care that she "is cruelly putting that out of reach."
“The last thing they should have to worry about is affording the care they need after being attacked,” Ruth Richardson, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in a statement.
Johnson County likely to pay for rape victim medication
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is likely to provide funding for emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault and rape as a state reimbursement program remains in limbo.
www.thegazette.com
