It's not like Iowa has been paying for tons of abortions. But we pay for some, like if there are serious medical complications to either the mother or to the fetus or in severe cases involving rape or incest. There were 22 cases in fiscal year 2012 where abortions were billed (mostly by the University of Iowa Hospitals) to Medicaid. Fifteen of those abortions involved cases of fetal anomalies. Most of the others involved cases where the health of the mother was at risk. By April 2013, Medicaid had paid for seven abortions during that current fiscal year and all of those abortions involved fetal anomalies.
Anyway, it turns out there the UIHC has performed two abortions on Medicaid-eligible patients so far this fiscal year (since July 2013) and both of those abortions involved complications from fetal anomalies, but Gov. Terry Branstad hasn't been placed in the position of approving or denying payment. That's because the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics has opted against billing to Iowa Medicaid for those abortions, preferring to absorb those costs internally instead of dealing with the politics of this medical procedure.
Gov. Branstad's spokesman was pleased with the UIHC's decision. The taxpayers don't have to pay for these abortions -- not directly anyway -- and he didn't have to make a decision either way.