The Helping to Optimize Patients’ Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act will require private insurance plans to cover IVF treatments saving families tens of thousands of dollars.
Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-Lehigh) joined three of her US House colleagues and introduced bipartisan legislation on Wednesday that would improve access for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and help ease the financial burden it places on patients.
The Helping to Optimize Patients’ Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act looks to improve access to IVF treatments by requiring private health insurance plans to cover infertility treatments.
“I’ve seen firsthand the heartbreak, fear, and anger individuals experience while dealing with infertility, and I firmly believe as legislators we need to be doing everything in our power to ease that burden,” Wild said in a statement.
“By treating infertility like any other medical condition, therefore requiring insurance to cover fertility treatments, the HOPE with Fertility Services Act will lower the costs associated with IVF and help more hopeful parents achieve their dreams of having a child.”
Wild has used her platform to boost awareness around infertility issues and expand access to IVF following an Alabama Supreme Court decision that granted rights to embryos and put IVF treatments at risk.
According to Forbes, a single round of IVF treatment, which includes harvesting an egg and transferring the embryo, could cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
The HOPE with Fertility Services Act would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and require private insurance plans to cover the following three causes of infertility:
- Infertility due to a disease or physical ailment that prevents bringing a child to full-term live birth
- Couples that are having trouble conceiving for at least 12 months
- Infertility or anticipated infertility from medical treatments such as chemotherapy
