DeLauro, Booker Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Infertility Treatment

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 24, 2018) – Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced a bicameral bill to expand health insurance coverage of infertility treatment and services. The Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act would require more health insurers to provide coverage for infertility treatment, as well as fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo medically necessary procedures that may cause infertility.

"When people do not have insurance coverage for infertility treatment and care, they must make impossible choices between essentials like food, clothing, and housing or paying out of pocket for the chance to have a child," said DeLauro. "That is why I am introducing this new bill to ensure all Americans get the insurance coverage they deserve and the opportunity to grow their family."

"Infertility is a common medical condition, but few health insurance plans cover its treatment," Booker said. "This bill will change that, and help alleviate the financial burden that so often accompanies the pain of infertility."

Despite the prevalence of infertility – one in eight couples have challenges conceiving – coverage for treatment options is limited. A recent survey found that nearly half of employers with at least 500 employees did not cover infertility services, and 25 percent of companies with 20,000 or more employees also did not cover such services.

Specifics of the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act

The bill would require private health insurance plans, as well as plans offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, TRICARE, and the VA, to provide coverage for treatment of infertility without raising insurance or copayment costs. It would also ensure that these plans cover fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo a medically necessary procedure that may cause infertility.

The Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act is supported by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, American Urological Association, and the Alliance for Fertility Preservation.