Americans for IVF champions accessible
fertility care for families who want the gift of children and is
supporting passage of the HOPE with Fertility Services Act to
protect this treatment.
WASHINGTON, June 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With hundreds of members
from diverse backgrounds, Americans for IVF, a new national
organization launched today, aims to educate and engage the
American public and Members of Congress on the importance of IVF as
a morally just pathway to parenthood for families facing
infertility challenges. The Coalition is collaborating across party
lines in support of the HOPE with Fertility Services Act to
depoliticize this issue, advocating for a straightforward,
bipartisan solution that protects access to IVF and makes it more
affordable for more Americans.
Andrea Bozek, AIVF national
spokeswoman who has had two children through IVF said,
"There is nothing more pro-life than IVF, as it enables parents
who cannot otherwise have children to bring new life into the
world. Since the Alabama court
decision, this issue has been clouded by misinformation from all
sides for political purposes. A diagnosis of infertility does not
choose liberals, conservatives or independents. It affects people
from all walks of life. Americans for IVF believes it is time to
set aside political differences and focus on ensuring access to
this essential and life-creating treatment."
IVF became a significant topic during the election year in
February when the Alabama Supreme Court declared that frozen
embryos are legally considered people. This decision suggested that
individuals could be held liable for destroying embryos, creating
uncertainty about the future of IVF across the country where,
according to recent polling, nearly 90 percent of all people
surveyed support access to IVF procedures. Even within staunchly
conservative circles, including pro-life advocates (with 78%
support, 39% strongly supporting) and Evangelicals (with 83%
support, 44% strongly supporting), there is significant and
unwavering support for the IVF procedure. See here for additional
recent polling from Pew Research and see here from CBS
News/YouGov.
The Alabama decision
particularly struck a nerve in a country where infertility issues
are highly prevalent to a recent CDC survey:
- 13.4% (9.7 million) U.S. women 15-49 years of age (of all
marital statuses) have infertility issues;
- About 1 in 5 (19%) married women in the U.S. aged 15 to 49 with
no prior births are unable to get pregnant after 1 year of trying;
and,
- A staggering 1 in 4 (26%) women in this group have difficulty
getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term.
The Helping to Optimize Patients' Experience (HOPE) with
Fertility Services Act (H.R. 8821), introduced today by Reps.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-5),
Zach Nunn (R-IA-3), Susan Wild (PA-7), and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL-25) is a
bipartisan bill that ensures the life-creating infertility
treatments and diagnostic care needed by millions of Americans
struggling with infertility, including in vitro fertilization
(IVF), will be covered by private insurance plans for all
fully-insured and self-insured plans in the United States. Infertility care –
including diagnosis, testing and treatment – will be covered just
as any other disease is covered.
Rabbi Moshe Margaretten,
Chairman of Americans for IVF, said "This legislation is
profoundly life-affirming, pro-family, and pro-woman, as it
facilitates the birth of babies who otherwise would not be born and
supports family creation. It empowers couples who want to become
parents by removing unjust financial barriers created by insurance
plans that refuse to cover this vital medical need: the ability to
reproduce. This breakthrough legislation is an exciting milestone,
a first ever bipartisan Republican-led bill that will finally
correct the injustice of people being forced to pay out-of-pocket
for infertility treatment."
The HOPE with Fertility Services Act 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; and,
- 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.
The Coalition will hope to educate and engage the American
public and Members of Congress on the importance of IVF as a
morally just pathway to parenthood for families struggling to grow.
Many couples face the heart-wrenching challenge of infertility,
longing to start a family but are hindered by extraordinary
financial barriers. Despite the incredible advancements in medical
technology, the exorbitant costs of fertility treatments often
render them unattainable.
Unfortunately, many misconceptions surround IVF treatments and
how they can help families grow. That's why Americans for IVF is
dedicated to promoting education and awareness about the realities
of IVF, debunking myths, and fostering understanding within our
communities. Now is the time to change these misconceptions. Access
to fertility treatments isn't a luxury—it's a basic healthcare need
that should be accessible to all.
Barbara Collura,
President/CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, also
praised the legislation as essential to helping
families:
"As the largest patient advocacy organization focused on
increasing access to family building options, we know that the
number one barrier for people who struggle to build their family is
lack of comprehensive insurance coverage for medical treatments
like IUI and IVF and we're glad to be working with the Coalition
to help advance common-sense solutions to this problem, like
the HOPE with Fertility Services Act. This bill will remedy this
barrier by amending ERISA plans, which covers most private
insurance in the U.S. We applaud this bi-partisan legislation and
urge the House of Representatives to show their support for our
community by passing this pro-family legislation."
Sean Tipton, Chief Advocacy
and Policy Officer for the American Society for Reproductive
Medicine (ASRM) similarly thanked Americans for IVF:
"We are thrilled to welcome Americans for IVF. While clearly
there is broad public support for IVF, it's also clear that there
is much to work to do to ensure more Americans can access these
vital treatments. The release of the bipartisan HOPE with Fertility
Services Act and the creation of Americans for IVF will go a long
way towards ensuring that access."
See here for Rep. Chavez-Deremer's Press Release on the
HOPE with Fertility Services Act, which includes a statement
from Dr. Kaylen Silverberg of
Austin, TX, Chairman of the
Advisory Board of Americans for IVF:
"Americans for IVF fully and enthusiastically supports
the HOPE with Fertility Services Act. This pro-family and
life-affirming legislation will correct an injustice that has gone
on for far too long of insurance companies failing to cover
infertility treatment for Americans whose bodies do not allow them
to have children at no fault of their own. Infertility is a disease
like any other disease and should be covered by insurance just as
they cover other diseases. At a time when the birth rate in America
is at an alarming decline, we need legislation like this that will
bring more babies into the world, now more than ever."
For more information about, and to receive regular updates from
the Coalition, visit us at https://americansforivf.org or on
X here.
CONTACT: Andrea Bozek
andrea@americansforivf.org
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SOURCE Americans for IVF