IVF Treatment Should Be Covered By Insurance: Rep. Malliotakis Co-Sponsors Legislation To Expand Fertility Treatment Coverage

IVF Treatment Should Be Covered By Insurance:Rep. Malliotakis Co-sponsors Legislation to Expand Coverage for Infertility Treatment

Editor’s note: We’ve previously covered some of the issues related to IVF treatments. These included the argument in favor of IVF, which is the most successful fertility treatment. Alabama’s Supreme Court decision that embryos have the same rights as babies has wide ethical implications.

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis joined Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer (OR-05) along with Rep. Zach Nunn (IA-03), Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07), and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) in cosponsoring the Helping to Optimize Patients’ Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to expand coverage for infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) to be covered by private insurance which will ensure that infertility care is treated just as any other disease.

Specifically, the bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to ensure that three narrowly tailored types of infertility are covered:

• Infertility due to a diagnosed disease or physical ailment that prevents the bringing of a child to full term live birth;
• Unexplained infertility, such as a couple who cannot conceive a child after trying for at least 12 consecutive months;
• Iatrogenic infertility: infertility or anticipated infertility due to a course of treatment for another ailment such as cancer, which could require egg preservation because certain treatments like chemotherapy have proven to destroy eggs.

“So many loving couples want to start a family but struggle with infertility. With soaring out-of-pocket costs for in vitro treatment and other fertility care, Americans are oftentimes prevented from being able to have children,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. “Even for Americans with health insurance plans that provide some coverage, this critical treatment can be cost-prohibitive. This legislation would expand coverage and provide access to fertility treatments for millions of Americans who dream of expanding their family but have faced difficulties due to disease, ailment, or unexplained infertility.”

“By cosponsoring the HOPE with Fertility Services Act, Congresswoman Malliotakis  has shown in action, not just talk, that she truly cares about the working people of Staten Island.” Said Dr. Jacqueline Guterman of Americans for IVF. “We live paycheck to paycheck, and many can’t afford IVF if we struggle with the disease of infertility. As an OB/GYN, it breaks my heart when people with infertility are denied treatment. And as a mom of IVF miracle babies, I know there is nothing more pro-life than bringing children into the world who would otherwise not exist.”

THE BILL TEXT IS AVAILABLE HERE

Malliotakis is also a cosponsor of H.Res.1037 which states “Providing the sense of the House of Representatives that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is necessary for women who cannot conceive naturally, and for other purposes.”

VIEW THE TEXT HERE.

Banner Image: IVF. Image Credit – DrKontogianniIVF