House Democrats are looking to call out Republicans by pushing for a vote on a set of bills guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization services and expanding insurance coverage for IVF and other fertility services.
The legislation will be introduced on Tuesday afternoon and contains four bills introduced by Reps. Susan Wild (D-PA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). The pressure comes as Democrats look to squeeze Republicans who have opposed IVF access but now must contend with campaign promises from former President Donald Trump to require private insurance companies to cover the fertilization procedure.
“Since the beginning of the year, I have worked to protect access to IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies for all Americans, and I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce additional reproductive health protections today,” Wild said in a statement. “I invite my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to match their words with actions and cosponsor this common-sense, pro-family legislation.”
The Right to IVF Act would establish a “clear and enforceable” nationwide right to IVF services and expand insurance coverage of the procedure. The legislation combines four bills, including the Access to Family Building Act introduced by Wild, the Family Building FEHB Fairness Act by Connolly, the Veteran Families Health Services Act by Larsen, and the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act by DeLauro.
The four-pronged legislation would establish a statutory right for residents to access, providers to provide, and insurance companies to cover IVF services without any limitations or interference. The bill would also authorize the Justice Department to utilize civil actions to enforce those rights.
Part of the bill would specifically apply to veterans and military members by allowing service members to cryopreserve gametes before deploying to a combat zone or dangerous duty assignment. It would also “permanently authorize and enhance fertility treatment” for veterans and service members.
The Right to IVF Act would also focus on increasing the affordability of fertility care, including IVF, by requiring employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public insurance plans to cover the costs of fertility treatments. It would also seek to standardize affordable fertility treatment coverage under employer-sponsored health insurance plans, according to the bill.
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It’s not clear whether House GOP leaders will bring the legislation to a vote on the floor, further underlying the Republicans’ struggle to establish a unified message on reproductive rights heading into the 2024 election.
Democrats are making a similar push in the Senate by pushing for a vote on Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) Right to IVF Act on Tuesday. That vote is meant to pressure Republicans in the upper chamber who have previously blocked the bill from being considered but now must grapple with Trump’s support for the procedure.
