Medicaid's 'tube-tying' polices create roadblocks for low-income women

Tubal ligation -- or having one's "tubes tied" -- is widely used to prevent unintended pregnancies. However, current Medicaid policies create roadblocks for low-income and minority women trying to obtain the procedure in the United States, according to a new study. Under a Medicaid rule enacted in 1978, women must currently wait 30 days after signing a written consent form to obtain a tubal ligation. This requirement is prohibitive for many women who want to receive the procedure after giving bi...