Octuplets Mom Enrages Calif. Taxpayers

Details Of Nadya Suleman's Dependence On State Funds To Raise 14 Kids Invoke Fury

(AP)  A big share of the financial burden of raising Nadya Suleman's 14 children could fall on the shoulders of California's taxpayers, compounding the public furor in a state already billions of dollars in the red.

Even before the 33-year-old single, unemployed mother gave birth to octuplets last month, she had been caring for her six other children with the help of $490 a month in food stamps, plus Social Security disability payments for three of the youngsters. The public aid will almost certainly be increased with the new additions to her family.

Also, the hospital where the octuplets are expected to spend seven to 12 weeks has requested reimbursement from Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, for care of the premature babies, according to the Los Angeles Times. The cost has not been disclosed.

Word of the public assistance has stoked the furor over Suleman's decision to have so many children by having embryos implanted in her womb.

"It appears that, in the case of the Suleman family, raising 14 children takes not simply a village but the combined resources of the county, state and federal governments," Los Angeles Times columnist Tim Rutten wrote in Wednesday's paper. He called Suleman's story "grotesque."

On the Internet, bloggers rained insults on Suleman, calling her an "idiot," criticizing her decision to have more children when she couldn't afford the ones she had, and suggesting she be sterilized.

"It's my opinion that a woman's right to reproduce should be limited to a number which the parents can pay for," Charles Murray wrote in a letter to the Los Angeles Daily News. "Why should my wife and I, as taxpayers, pay child support for 14 Suleman kids?"

She was also berated on talk radio, where listeners accused her of manipulating the system and being an irresponsible mother.

"From the outside you can tell that this woman was playing the system," host Bryan Suits said on the "Kennedy and Suits" show on KFI-AM. "You're damn right the state should step in and seize the kids and adopt them out."

A call to Suleman's publicist Mike Furtney was not immediately returned.

In her only media interviews, Suleman told NBC's "Today" she doesn't consider the public assistance she receives to be welfare and doesn't intend to remain on it for long.

Also, a Nadya Suleman Family Web Site has been set up to collect donations for the children. It features pictures of the mother and each octuplet and has instructions for making donations by check or credit card.

Suleman, whose six older children range in age from 2 to 7, said three of them receive disability payments. She said one is autistic, but she has not disclosed the other youngsters' disabilities, and refused to say how much they get in payments.

In California, a low-income family can receive Social Security payments of up to $793 a month for each disabled child. Three children would amount to $2,379.

The Suleman octuplets' medical costs have not been disclosed, but in 2006, the average cost for a premature baby's hospital stay in California was $164,273, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The average cost for just one cesarean birth in 2006 was $22,762 in California. Eight times that equals $1.3 million.

For a single mother, the cost of raising 14 children through age 17 ranges from $1.3 million to $2.7 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is struggling to close a $42 billion budget gap by cutting services, declined through a spokesman to comment on the taxpayer costs associated with the octuplets' delivery and care.

Suleman received disability payments for an on-the-job back injury during a riot at a state mental hospital, collecting more than $165,000 over nearly a decade before the benefits were discontinued last year.

Some of the disability money was spent on in vitro fertilizations, which was used for all 14 of her children, Suleman said. Suleman said she also worked double shifts at the mental hospital and saved up for the treatments. She estimated that all her treatments cost $100,000.

A dozen states, including California, have laws requiring insurance companies to cover infertility treatment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But California does not require insurers to cover in vitro procedures. It's not clear what type of coverage Suleman has.

In the NBC interview, Suleman said she will go back to California State University, Fullerton in the fall to complete her master's degree in counseling, and will use student loans to support her children. She said she will rely on the school's daycare center and volunteers.

[payasyougo]

"In California, a low-income family can receive Social Security payments of up to $793 a month for each disabled child. Three children would amount to $2,379."
----
Her plan might have been that taking 8 babies to term would result in at least 4 qualifying for some disability (a fair estimate since she's currently batting 50% on claims). She understands that 7 disabled children (3 existing + 4 new) would bring in over $5550 a month in state payments, covered of course by those rich taxpayers who need to pay their fair share. Her fair share of course is zero.

You want the children of this world to have a fair chance at life, but at what breeding level do you think it can be sustained? Especially with people that know how to work the system like this individual.

[cbsblogger]

Come on folks we're the richest country in the world (that's what they try and tell us) and we can afford to care for those who have less, even those who blatantly scam the system.

Actually this woman is the poster child for welfare mama. She should lose all of her children. We need to bring back the orphanages where children can be cared for and educated until they are adopted, and remove the incentives for women to have children for personal gain.

The names and amount of anyone who gets government assistance should be public info.

[fullhardt]

This is terribly sad. This woman, who appears to be incapable of making intelligent decisions, should not expect the rest of us to pay. I agree. We have to STOP being a system that pays for others' decisions. I am not calling the babies a mistake. I am saying this was HER decision and it should be HER responsibility just as it should be the responsibility of ALL parents to care for their children should they choose to have them. Doesn't even Michael Jackson say in one of his songs "if you can't feed the baby, don't have the baby?" We have to STOP enabling society to continue making poor decisions and expecting others to pay. ENOUGH!!!!!

[cg37102006]

In today's world that is becoming overpopulated at a rapid rate, to pop out 14 kids is just insane and ridiculous. I even look askew at any couple who has more than 4 kids. I am not against kids or raising a family, but dang, who needs or wants more than 4 kids, let alone 14, when you are single and unemployed, and not wealthy, is just irresponsible.

[cg37102006]

Is time to follow China's lead and limit childbirth to two per woman? I ask you.....

[Lurch1234]

The doctor who enabled this to happen needs to pay child support for all the children. You can't put to much blame on her because she's not playing with a full deck.

[keithle1]

So many stupid women reproducing faster than rabbits. Make 'em stop! Please.

[Cya1959]

What's all the complaining for folks? You all voted for Obama and she's spitting out more Democrats left and right! Give Socialism a chance!
Posted by TheOldPatriot at 4:52 AM : Mar 5, 2009

In case you can't count it takes 9 months to have a baby...so it was BUSH who let this happen not OBAMA... if BUSH was not so GREEDY about his OIL PROFITS and focused more on the people in THIS COUNTRY instead of his RICH FRIENDS this would not of happened...so PLEASE put blame where blame needs to be..ON BUSH...We need to worry about OUR COUNTRY not OTHERS who Don't want or need our help...God helps those who help themselves...so we need to help our own PEOPLE before we can HELP OTHERS...GOD BLESS EVERYONE NOT JUST THE USA...THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS HELP!!!

[channan4]

i have a large family my husband works everyday to support our family. how was she able to save the money for invetro on be on these programs? i know ssi has income requirements and food stamps too has anyone investigated the froud here? u really mean to tell me i can move to california, have my husband quit working, save money so i can get invetro so i can have 15 kids, while other people fit the bill, california here i come!!! just joking me and my husband take pride in our large family with 5 kids and are very happy WE pay for them, including our daughter that does quilify as a special needs child BUT WE TAKE PRIDE IN SUPPORTING OURS. but what kid of message does that send dead beats about california?

[tomselleck]

I truely hope that signtwo comments are in a joking manner.

[tomselleck]

AMEN TO ALL OF THESE COMMENTS. DON'T SEE TOO MANY WITH POSTIVE COMMENTS!! I guess that speaks it all!

[tomselleck]

To the State of California~
I feel for your state and all of the other states that have ignorant, self absorbed, egostitical, me first attitudes. This multi birth woman is not a mother. She is just having babies to get the money from the state so SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK. She allows her parents, to raise those children! Get a LIFE WOMAN!!!! There are so many thousands of couples that would love to adopt one or two of those children and give them a loving, caring, home!
Multi birth WOMAN~~~~ SHAME ON YOU!!!!! YOUR ARE A LEACH TO OUR SYSTEM!!!!!!!!

[concernedcitizeninTn]

I am hoping that this incredible misuse of fertility treatments by an unscrupulous Dr, and a mentally ill woman, who have thoroughly plumbed the welfare system, will lead to such outrage that we make new laws. One child we must support could be a mistake, two maybe, then the line should be drawn and you should not receive rewards for having any more children. As a bleeding heart liberal even I realize that the welfare system has become a way of life not the safety net it was designed to be. Nadya Suleman is the perfect example of the failure of our welfare system. Reward someone for making the same poor decision 14 times. This truly is the death of reason.

[jerryspoor]

We can sustain our population with 2 children per family. With 14 children in a family we will run out of resources quickly. Then each child does not get as much attention. A lot of damage is done here. For the sake of the childreh they should be adopted out so they can get all the help they can get.

[jbp_angel]

someone mentioned a double standard earlier, that if she were married we would not be so upset. the points i think you have missed are that she is unemployed and used taxpayer dollars to achieve her baby mill. i don't think anyone would be kinder to her if she was married with the same circumstances were present. the point is she is on welfare and government aid. if she, married or not, couldn't afford her first 6 children on her own she shouldn't have had more. it would be a little different if it was a natural conception. but it was planned and paid for by taxpayer dollars.

another thing that bothers me, and sorry if i have missed anyone else post the same thing, is she had 3/6 disabled children already. generally when you have a ratio like that you are more likely to have more disabled children. how many of these new babies are going to be disabled? did she ever consider how difficult life is on many disabled kids before she made the choice to implant 8 more? this to me shows she cares more about herself than her children.

i truly believe that she planned this to a certain extent. she purposely didn't consider the fact she was likely to have more disabled children and knowing what she was already getting from the state for her original 6 children, i believe when the doc suggested implanting the remaining embryos (supposedly because she couldn't afford another implant later) that she, and he, saw each embryo as a dollar sign.
some may say i am being too harsh. i don't believe i am. if she truly loved these children as much as she says, she would do what is right for them, not herself. she cannot afford to care for them, she refused assistance by Angels in Waiting. for the critics against Angels in Waiting, the offer was for free 24/7 hospice care NOT to adopt the children out so stop insulting their generosity as just trying to yank the kids from her.

i was kind of neutral on this subject before, but i am starting to see her more clearly. Unless she has been misquoted, she not only plans on milking the welfare (which isn't welfare) system and the social security disability system for all it's worth, but also milk all the programs at Cal State Fullerton. The last one angers me as much as the previous two.
Plus, she has a website asking for donations??? Does she plan to inform welfare and social security about how much she gets in donations? somehow i doubt it. people like this are exactly why others who really need and deserve welfare or disability cannot get it.

though i disagree with others who are calling her kids brats, spawn, and all sorts of other horrible names (it isn't their fault who their mother is or how they came into the world - they are innocent children), i see her as nothing more than a selfish manipulative baby mill. if it is punishable by law to have a puppy mill, this should be too.

[boxcarbetty1]

Well it seems that her family has been on Oprah And Dr. Phil. I know they were paid to do tjhis and if its income then she needs to report this to the food stamp ofice. You cannot have any extra money on hand when you recieve food stamps. She is a welfare queen going for big bucks. She saw this as a get rich scheem.. Its all about the money. I heard her mom on Dr. Phil asking for a new house. That spoke volumes to me how dare she ask for a house that could take care of 14 children. The whole family is playing the system. All these kids need to be placed in foster care. Then I would know that my tax dollars are not going to the mother to have nose jobs and lip fixing. She needs her brain fixed. HOW CAN THEY NOT SEE A SCAM IS BEYOND ME>

[dccarino]

She says Food Stamps isn't welfare?!?! According to the State of California, FOOD STAMPS IS WELFARE!! Along with being irresponsible and apparently an unfit mother, she's ignorant.

[Pootteetoot]

This is directed to "signtwo". I'm very confused about your comment "signtwo", what do you mean by "it is society's fault"? How did we the people of the USA force her to have 8 children at once? I think you are rather confused or a relative that doesn't desire to help her yourself, but like her, expects society to pay for her gross idea of a big family. Most responsible people in "society" wait until they can afford children to have children and even the richest of people don't have 14 children to take care of. This girl has no business having all those children, she has no way of taking care of. As a hard working taxpayer of 45 longgggg years, I resent supporting this girl who selfishly had all these children she can't afford. She uses taxpayers money to keep having children, have plastic surgery and on top of all that, have her darn nails done, even I can't afford to do that since I've retired!!!! She is one of the reasons why our Government is in such a mess financially......we can't keep supporting these unthoughtful and immature women that want to have children over and over because they can get a pay check from the taxpayers. I feel sorry for her parents that can't say NO to her. How selfish can one person be to have children right and left and expect to have everyone else take care of them for her? If you ask me I'ld say she is a nutcase and she needs to be neutered!!!

[ConcernedTaxpayer]

This story has been shown through various news agencies until we are all pretty sick and tired of hearing about it. But yet we still have an almost morbid fascination to watch this drama unfold. An earlier comment raised the point that, if she were married, we would not even blink. There would be a public outpouring of assistance and support for the family with several children.

Yet the similarity to any normalcy ends there. This story is about a woman who spent $100,000 of her own money and her disability payments to undergo in vitro fertilization. It can be said that this was the first misuse of her funds; the intended use for disability is not necessarily to support elective medical procedures. While this is the most essential component of the story (is it normal to have 8+ eggs fertilized?), it is not the greatest travesty in this saga.

I mentioned the number of eggs, because it poses an interesting dilemma for those of us who believe in the sanctity of life (i.e., pro-lifers). We hold sacred all human life, but in the case of genetically, um, "enabled" conception, do the same tenets hold true? This is truly a difficult situation to consider. Perhaps she should have only had a few eggs fertilized? As she was on disability at the time, did she consider (as parents worldwide consider their financial ability to support a child prior to conceiving one) that she might not be able to properly care for more than one or two children?

This story is also about a woman who underwent plastic surgery. Again, many people have elective, cosmetic procedures done, but on taxpayers' money? Remember, it is being said that she most likely used some of her assistance (disability, perhaps) to fund her procedures. So, we now have two major types of elective medical procedures, paid for by a woman with no income (and paid for in part by YOU, California).

This story is also about a woman who elected to have all of her fertilized eggs implanted. This is dangerous to the mother, dangerous to the children, and illegal on the part of the physician. The result is 14 children, at least two or three of whom are known to have disabilities. The reality is that there is no conceivable way that one, two, or even three adults (Ms. Suleman and her parents) can care for the children alone, even if they were not on the brink of bankruptcy.

Further, this story is about a woman who lives with her parents. A thirty-something year old woman. And even if this is viewed as appropriate, then is it appropriate to allow several mortgage payments to be missed on your parents' home? Truly, if there were enough funds to support elective procedures, then there was enough money to pay the mortgage. To say it is irresponsible behavior is putting it mildly.

And now, this story is about a woman who will eventually have 14 children in her care, no home, and expects to return to graduate school in the fall. AND she expects to use student loans to pay for them. This truly takes the cake. With parents who have multiples like this, they recognize that at least one parent must remain at home full time to care for the children, and one parent must work full time to provide for them. Yet, in this case, we have a woman who will be doing neither.

For the pessimists who challenge pro-lifers to step up and assume some responsibility, know that at least one organization has already done so. Angels in Waiting has offered to care for Suleman and all 14 of her children, free of charge. Truly, this is an incredibly generous offer. Hopefully she will take them up on this offer.

In closing, this is one of the most bizarre, saddening, and maddening stories to be shared by the media in awhile. What is worst of all is that 14 innocent children, and two exasperated adults (Suleman's parents) will suffer directly because of the actions of one unthinking woman. Countless others will be indirectly affected.

[kcj2009]

This woman is so selfish to bring all these innocent children into this world when she cannot possibly afford to take care of them. She could not even afford the six she had, and says she only wanted one more why have more when you can't afford the ones you have?!? I can understand peoples anger towards her after finding out her situation, and I feel sorry for her parents who are having to deal with her, and I especially feel very sorry for all those little kids. If she did not want the embryos distroyed then she could have donated them to someone else that wanted a chance to have a baby instead of having them implanted in her when she knew she could not afford to have anymore. So now all the taxpayers get saddled with supporting her family because of her selfish and irresponsible behaviour, its not fair to the kids or the state of California who are in debt up to their eye balls.