ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 26, 1994                   TAG: 9402260089
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: new york times
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

ELDERS SAYS MEDICAID ENSLAVES POOR, PREGNANT

Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the surgeon general, said Friday that Medicaid must have been developed by "a white male slave owner" because "it fails to provide services to poor women to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and this failure contributes to poverty, ignorance and enslavement."

Elders said that the eligibility criteria for pregnant women seeking prenatal care and obstetrical services were more liberal than the criteria for those who wanted family planning.

"If we really want to do something about illegitimate births and unwanted births, Medicaid should support family planning at the same level as prenatal care," she said.

"White male slave owners wanted a lot of healthy slaves, people to work. We don't need slaves any more. We need healthy, educated, motivated children with hope. We need to really invest in family planning." - New York Times 


 by CNB