Lang
4/8/23
New Iowa Attorney general Brenna Bird is halting reimbursement payments for rape victims who need the “morning after” pill.
Previous Attorney General Tom Miller had a longstanding practice of using money from the state’s victim compensation fund to help prevent pregnancies that would result from sexual assault. State law and federal regulations require states to pay for expenses for sexual assault victims including for forensic examinations and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases to which victims may have been exposed.
A spokesperson for Bird’s office told The Des Moines Register that the attorney general’s office has put a hold on reimbursements for Plan B contraception and abortions, pending what it calls a “review” of victim services. Bird Press Secretary Alyssa Brouillet told the newspaper that the state is not technically required to reimburse for such services.
Victim advocates say there was no warning of the decision, and they hope the payments can be reinstated soon. Officials with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics say they were also unaware of the decision.