Income limits raised for taxpayer-funded birth control

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 23 [emphasis added]:
A state program that provides free birth control to those from the ages of 15 to 44 will be available to more people after the federal government on Thursday approved raising income limits in the program.

Wisconsin is the first state to raise the income levels for the program.

The federal approval makes the program more widely available, but its future remains unclear because of skepticism from Republicans who will take over state government in January.

The family planning program, which also provides screening for sexually transmitted diseases, had been available to those making 200% above the federal poverty level. The changes approved Thursday raise eligibility to 300% of the federal poverty level, making it available to individuals who earn up to $32,490 a year.

The program is controversial because girls as young as 15 can get access to birth control without parental consent. Virtually anyone age 15 to 17 is eligible for the program because parental income is not taken into account when determining if children qualify for the program.

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