Family PACT, California’s State family planning program is an important source of family planning services for over 1 million uninsured, low-income women, men and adolescents who otherwise would not have access to effective birth control methods. Contraceptive methods dispensed in one year through Family PACT prevented over 100,000 pregnancies and 50,000 births in California. This study compares the cost of providing state-funded family planning services with the anticipated cost of providing publicly funded medical, income support, and social services to women who may experience unintended pregnancies in the absence of the program, and their newborns. The pregnancies averted by Family PACT services would have incurred over $512 million in public expenditures for medical care during pregnancy and delivery, and for medical care, income support and social services for mothers and their children for up to two years following birth. The cost of delivering comprehensive family planing services during FY 97/98 was $114.4 million. Thus, every dollar spent on Family PACT generated estimated savings of $4.48 in medical and social service costs by preventing unintended pregnancies (Table 1). Table 1. Total public-sector savings and the cost-effectiveness of Family PACT
|
Period and savings |
State savings |
Federal and local savings |
Total public-sector savings |
|
Pregnancy and delivery |
|||
|
Savings per dollar spent |
$0.72 |
$0.59 |
$1.31 |
|
Total savings |
$82.4 million |
$66.9 million |
$149.3 million |
|
Up to 2 years following birth |
|||
|
Savings per dollar spent |
$3.03 |
$1.45 |
$4.48 |
|
Total savings |
$346.3 million |
$165.5 million |
$511.8 million |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the costs to local, state and federal governments associated with unintended pregnancies. 2. Describe the cost of providing family planning services to over a million women and men in California. 3. Estimate the number of pregnancies averted through contraceptive provision. 4. Recognize the cost-savings incurred through the provision of comprehensive family planning services
Keywords: Family Planning, Economic Analysis
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: State of California Office of Family Planning Family PACT Program
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: independent evaluator