Trump, who once vowed he’d be known as the “fertilization president,” announced from the Oval Office that his administration was issuing guidance that would allow employers to offer IVF coverage as a benefit part of company insurance plans.
Administration officials said the updated guidance from the Department of Labor, the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would make opting in for fertility benefits similar to opting in for dental or vision benefits as part of an employer’s insurance plan.
The guidance does not require employers to offer a fertility benefit, and a senior administration official acknowledged it would take time for interested employers to implement. Many of the administration’s health care initiatives – phasing out artificial food dyes, the MFN policy — have relied on voluntary participation.
Libby Horne, EMD Serono’s U.S. vice president of fertility and HIV/endocrinology, announced that her company would be offering their infertility products at a steep discount.
“Through our partnership with the administration, we are proud to announce that Americans will have access to our leading IVF therapies for an 84 percent discount off list prices,” said Horn.
IVF was thrust into the national spotlight during the 2024 presidential campaign when the Supreme Court of Alabama ruled that frozen embryos could be considered the same as children, inadvertently pausing IVF services in the state.
The Alabama Legislature ultimately had to pass a law to protect IVF providers. Trump on Thursday called the court’s move a “bad ruling.”
IVF has faced opposition from anti-abortion hardliners who take issue with the disposal or donation of unused frozen embryos. When asked about this sentiment, Trump said. “I think this is very pro-life. This is — you can’t get more pro-life than this.”
