ASRM Calls for Passage of Family Building Bill
Statement attributable to Paula Amato, MD
President, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Embargoed for Release
Washington, DC – The American Society for Reproductive Medicine applauds the introduction of the Right to IVF Act, championed by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senator and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patty Murray (D-WA), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). If passed, this omnibus package of pro-family building bills will create a statutory right for healthcare professionals across the country to provide their patients with the best available care, including In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). It would increase access to IVF treatments for all Americans, including active-duty service members, veterans, and federal employees. If enacted, the bill will further increase the affordability of fertility care by mandating that employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public insurance plans cover fertility treatment.
For decades, ASRM has led the call for federal protections and insurance coverage for IVF for all Americans. We are thrilled that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is bringing this package of bills, each of which ASRM has individually endorsed, to the Senate floor for this historic vote. It is incredibly important for the professionals who support the infertility community to know exactly where our Senators stand on protecting and increasing access to care.
Every day, our members must break the news to their patients that they may not have coverage for fertility treatment and are expected to pay entirely out of pocket for necessary medical care. It is unconscionable that we do not cover fertility care for our military and veterans who put their lives on the line for this country. It is unconscionable that judges or legislators possess the power to restrict access to essential medical treatments with a pen stroke. We can think of no greater message the Senate can send to demonstrate they care about the future of this country than the enactment of this bill, which will ensure Americans have access to the medical care needed to build their families.
We urge everyone to contact their Senators
Demand passage of this overdue legislation. We call upon the US Senate to pass this bill package without delay.
For almost a century, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has been the global leader in multidisciplinary reproductive medicine research, ethical practice, and education. ASRM impacts reproductive care and science worldwide by creating funding opportunities for advancing reproduction research and discovery, by providing evidence-based education and public health information, and by advocating for reproductive health care professionals and the patients they serve. With members in more than 100 countries, the Society is headquartered in Washington, DC, with additional operations in Birmingham, AL. www.asrm.org
For media inquiries regarding this press release contact:
Sean Tipton
ASRM Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer
E: stipton@asrm.org
Anna Hovey
Advocacy Engagement Specialist
E: ahovey@asrm.org
J. Benjamin Younger Office of Public Affairs
726 7th St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tel: (202) 863-2494
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