Rep. Sara Jacobs, Sen. Tammy Duckworth Introduce IVF for Military Families Act
Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), and Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced the IVF for Military Families Act, which would require TRICARE to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF – and end the differing levels of reproductive health care coverage between active duty service members and their dependents and Members of Congress and their staff.
Beginning this year, Members of Congress and their staff who obtain health insurance through the DC Health Exchange have access to plans that include coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF and standard fertility preservation services. Meanwhile, TRICARE coverage currently only covers fertility services for those who can prove a service connection to injury or illness. In practice, this leaves about a quarter of service members and spouses who report infertility to pay tens of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs for fertility treatment. Passing the IVF for Military Families Act would strengthen recruitment, retention, and readiness efforts and ensure that service members can access the family-building services they deserve.
Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “Our military families have sacrificed so much for our safety and security – they shouldn’t also sacrifice their dream to build a family. But for too many service members, the lack of TRICARE coverage of IVF has left them with only a few choices: beat the odds and prove that their infertility is directly related to their service, pay tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for a chance at a family, forgo having children, or leave the military. This is wrong. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the IVF for Military Families Act with Senator Duckworth to give them every opportunity to build their families. To my colleagues: We now have access to this level of health care coverage, and we shouldn’t deny that same standard to those who wear our country’s uniform. And to President Trump: calling yourself the father of IVF is meaningless – take some action and support our bill.”
“After all the tremendous sacrifices they make, our brave women and men in uniform should never have to make the impossible and unjust choice between serving their country or facing financial ruin just to start a family,” said Senator Duckworth. “It was extremely disappointing that our IVF provision—which would have simply ensured that our servicemembers and their families have access to the same level of IVF coverage as Members of Congress—was removed from the final defense bill behind closed doors last year, even after so many of my Republican colleagues continue to loudly and publicly claim to support IVF. President Trump pledged to voters on the campaign trail that he would go even further by making IVF free if elected and has repeated the bold-faced lie that he is governing on the principle of ‘Promises made, promises kept.’ Republicans can now help him partially fulfill his broken IVF promise by joining our commonsense legislation that would make sure those who answer the call to serve have access to the care they need to build their family.”
“Servicemembers who risk their lives to protect our families deserve all the support they need to grow theirs,” said Senator Murray. “Federal employees have access to comprehensive infertility treatment, including IVF – and TRICARE should cover those same services for our servicemembers, full stop. Struggling with infertility is painful enough without having to worry about the cost of treatment. I’ve worked for over a decade to expand access to IVF and other fertility treatment for veterans and servicemembers who need it, and am proud to be joining Senator Duckworth to introduce the IVF for Military Families Act to continue fighting to ensure our servicemembers never have to sacrifice their ability to start a family.”
“One in four military families experience infertility. Congress should take the long-overdue step of overturning outdated limitations on IVF to give service members access to the reproductive health care they deserve,” said Congressman Larsen. “Women and men in uniform should not have to choose between serving their country and starting a family.”
“MOAA supports the IVF for Military Families Act that would expand TRICARE coverage of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for currently serving families. We appreciate Rep. Sara Jacobs’ and Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s leadership on this issue. Servicemembers have earned a top tier benefit in recognition of the risks and sacrifices they face. Most large employer sponsored plans – including those covering federal employees and members of Congress – now offer ART/IVF coverage. Addressing this TRICARE parity gap will not only fulfill our nation’s commitment to the currently serving but also ensure TRICARE remains an effective component of the compensation and benefits package that sustains the all-volunteer force,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly USAF (Ret), MOAA President & CEO.
“The majority of Americans–85%–support access to IVF, one of the most effective medical treatments for those struggling to build their family,” said Barbara Collura, President/CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. “Yet so many people are shut out of accessing this care, including the brave Americans who serve in the military. They assume they will have the best medical care possible, yet we make it so hard for them to start or grow their family while serving our country. This injustice can be fixed by passing the IVF for Military Families Act, a bill that simply provides parity to the comprehensive IVF coverage that Members of Congress and their staff have now. There is no need to wait–let’s get this passed.”
“The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is proud to support the IVF for Military Families Act. With higher rates of infertility impacting the military due the dangers of the job and the unique family building challenges our men and women in uniform face, it is a no brainer that TRICARE should cover fertility treatments like IVF,” said Sean Tipton ASRM Chief Advocacy & Policy Officer. “For decades, ASRM has championed increasing access to fertility treatment for all Americans, including federal employees. This is why we thank Senators Duckworth and Murray and Congresswoman Jacobs and Congressman Larsen for their leadership on legislation to ensure that military families have no less than the same fertility benefits available to Members of Congress. This should be a bipartisan issue, and we are hopeful the administration will look closely at this bill as it considers ways to expand access and reduce out of pocket costs for IVF.”
Background: As the representative of San Diego, the country’s largest military community, Rep. Sara Jacobs has led the effort to expand reproductive health care for service members and military families. Last year, she championed a similar effort to expand TRICARE to cover assisted reproductive technology, including IVF, for active duty service members and their dependents. This provision received bipartisan support when it was included unanimously in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) committee mark and in the House-passed version of the NDAA. Unfortunately, the provision was ultimately stripped from the conference report despite versions being included in both the House and Senate NDAAs. The Congresswoman also successfully secured a demonstration program on cryopreservation to reimburse active duty service members for the cost of freezing, shipping, and storing their gametes and to eliminate the co-pay on contraception for all TRICARE beneficiaries in the final version of the FY 2025 NDAA.
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