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."
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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.