Staten Island Rep Supports Bipartisan Bills To Address Women’s Healthcare Access

Malliotakis Backs Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen Women’s Health Care Access

Editor’s note: Senator Gllibrand is also very concerned about issues related to women’s healthcare access and their care overall, particularly regarding maternity healthcare.  Rep. Malliotakis was also recently honored with a Women In Power Community Appreciation award from Brooklyn’s Health Essential Association. 

(WASHINGTON, DC) — Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis has introduced two bipartisan bills alongside her colleagues to expand access to women’s health care. The first, H.R. 8119, the HOPE with Fertility Services Act, aims to increase access to infertility treatments—including IVF—and ensure patients can receive the care they need. The second, H.R. 8084, the Access to LARCs Act, focuses on improving access to long-acting reversible contraception by identifying barriers at community health centers and providing recommendations to expand availability.

The HOPE with Fertility Services Act

• Provides coverage for infertility and iatrogenic infertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, egg and embryo cryopreservation, ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination, and related procedures.
• It ensures coverage for individuals diagnosed with conditions that prevent conception or carrying a pregnancy to term, as well as those experiencing unexplained infertility.
• Directs plans and issuers to implement utilization management tools consistent with clinical guidelines and submit annual analyses to the Secretary of HHS.
• Requires corrective action if coverage standards are not met, ensuring accountability and enforcement of patient access to fertility care.

The Access to LARCs Act

• LARCs (Long-Acting Reversible Contraception) are highly effective, low-maintenance birth control methods that prevent pregnancy for 3 to 10+ years. They include implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs).
• This legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a national study on access to the full range of contraceptive methods at community health centers located in underserved areas or health care deserts. The goal is to identify barriers that limit women’s access to contraception—particularly long‑acting reversible contraception (LARC)—and provide Congress with actionable recommendations to improve availability.

“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. “The HOPE with Fertility Services Act 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. I also join my colleagues in supporting the Access to LARCs Act, which focuses on improving access to long-acting reversible contraception and ensuring availability of highly effective birth control options. This legislation will identify areas in the United States that lack access to these medications and, by reducing barriers, help more women access dependable care and make informed choices.”

“As a father of six, I’ll never have a more important title than ‘Dad.’ Starting a family is one of the biggest dreams couples have, and no one should be denied that opportunity because of infertility, cancer treatments, or cost,” said Rep. Zach Nunn. “The HOPE with Fertility Services Act makes sure that fertility care is within reach for every family — not just those who can afford it or happen to have the right insurance plan. This isn’t a Republican or Democrat idea — it’s an American one, and I’m proud of the strong bipartisan support behind it.”

“Infertility impacts millions of families and it doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone who wants to start or grow a family,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “I know firsthand. Thanks to IVF, my husband and I conceived our twins, now both healthy young adults. But after enduring that struggle, I’ve fought to expand insurance coverage for the prohibitively costly fertility treatments that can make this only accessible to the very few who can afford it. As a breast cancer survivor, I’m also concerned with how a diagnosis and treatments can affect survivors’ ability to conceive or even prevent cancer from being genetically passed on. So, for many survivors with a BRCA gene mutation, like me, IVF can be a godsend.”

“For millions of Americans, the ability to build a family is deeply personal—but too often, it is made unnecessarily difficult by cost and limited access to care,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “Infertility affects families in every corner of our country, regardless of background or income, yet access to treatment too often depends on those very factors—and that is not acceptable. The HOPE with Fertility Services Act is about changing that by ensuring families have a real opportunity—not just in theory, but in practice—to grow and thrive. This bipartisan legislation gives Americans what they deserve: the chance to pursue the American Dream and the hope of becoming parents. Strong families are the foundation of a strong nation, and this bill is an investment in the future of our country.”

“My grandkids are one of the greatest joys of my life, and they wouldn’t be here today without fertility services. The average cost of IVF treatment can [be] anywhere between $15,000-$30,000 and most insurance plans are not required to cover this cost,” said Rep. Donald Norcross. “The HOPE with Fertility Services Act makes starting a family possible for the millions of Americans across the country who struggle to bring a child into our world. I won’t ever stop fighting to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all who need it.”

Banner Image: Newborn. Image Credit – Christian Bowen