Senate Democrats are trying to expand access to IVF for the more than 8 million federal employees, retirees and their dependents in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.
The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act is part of a four-bill package introduced in June by U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
“In the nearly two years since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, our nation has seen the horrific consequences of Republicans’ anti-science, anti-woman crusade that has put IVF at risk for millions of Americans who rely on it to start or grow their family,” Duckworth said in a statement.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., highlighted the effort last week, noting that he has been pushing the Office of Personnel Management to require FEHB providers to cover IVF services and treatments.
OPM has made incremental progress, but only approximately two dozen out of more than 200 FEHB plans currently offer some level of IVF coverage, and these plans vary greatly in terms of which specific services and treatments are included.
“Amid state restrictions on reproductive health care, we must take steps to protect Americans’ freedom to decide whether, when, and how to start or build their families without government interference,” Kaine said. “That includes expanding access to the miracle that is IVF and other assisted reproductive technology. The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act can help us do that, by requiring the largest employer-run health insurance program in America to cover these services.”
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Chris Graham
