Today’s Managing Health Care Costs Number is $130 million
There’s very little within the medical care that saves money. Much of the care we deliver is cost effective– meaning that we get quality adjusted life years (QALYs) for a reasonable price. We don’t get QALYs and cost savings for many medical services.
Immunizations are a shining counterexample. Each dollar we spend on childhood vaccinations saves as many as $21 dollars in medical claims costs. The list of cost saving medical services besides immunizations is scant. Statins are not cost saving; neither is cancer screening.
The Congressional Budget Office has reviewed Republican plans to defund Planned Parenthood – and they’ve reported that the next impact of disallowing any federal or Medicaid funding of services at Planned Parenthood would be increased cost to the federal government of $130 million over ten years – as opposed to savings. This is largely because more women denied access to effective contraception will have babies, and 45% of deliveries in the country are paid for by this federal/state program.
The CBO analysis understates the potential for increased costs, as it doesn’t consider costs borne by states or by individuals. The CBO assumed that over time women would be able to find alternatives sites of care – which is optimistic. Planned Parenthood provides services to 2.4 million – over a third of those who on government programs who receive contraception. There are simply not providers other than Planned Parenthood with the capacity to provide women’s health care to millions of Americans, especially in rural areas. So the CBO estimate of increased costs is likely low.
Federal funds that are directed to Planned Parenthood help us control the federal deficit!
H/T to Danielle Paquette who reported this for Wonkbloglast week.
