Survey shows strong support for increased access to fertility treatments
For Immediate Release
Washington, DC - A new public opinion poll reveals strong support for improved access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Asked if health insurance plans should be required to offer IVF coverage, 67% of respondents agreed. (34% strongly supported, 32% supported). Just over a quarter, 26%, neither supported nor opposed, while only 7% opposed such a requirement.
Another question focused on access to IVF care for military and civilian federal employees. The numbers on this question were very similar: 71% supported the federal government offering this coverage to its employees, 23% neither supported nor opposed, and only 7% expressed opposition.
The reality is that many Americans lack insurance coverage for IVF care. Despite recent advances, millions of Americans still have no health insurance at all. Moreover, far too many insurance plans exclude all fertility care or include less effective treatments but do not cover IVF.
Our military service members and veterans only have very limited access to IVF, and their coverage requires the infertility to be connected to their time in service, which is often difficult to prove and burdensome for service members and veterans seeking to expand their families. For civilian employees, the picture is more complicated. Currently, only a few plans available to federal employees offer coverage for IVF. This could be remedied if all plans were required to cover comprehensive fertility services including IVF.
“Clearly, a large majority of Americans think insurance companies ought to do the right thing and offer IVF coverage. And they clearly support the government requiring them to do it if they won’t do it on their own. The number of Americans who lack insurance coverage for their fertility care is absolutely unacceptable. As so many members of Congress have expressed their support for IVF over the last few months, we call upon them to do more than offer words. The time has come for them to step up and ensure insurance companies and employers are no longer allowed to exclude this one specific disease,” said Paula Amato, MD, President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
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This CARAVAN survey was conducted by Big Village among a sample of 1,010 adults 18 years of age and older. The online omnibus study is conducted three times a week among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older. This survey was live on April 5–7, 2024.
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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Created by the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) the following are answers to frequently asked questions concerning in vitro fertilization (IVF). Learn the facts
It takes more than one
Why IVF patients often need multiple embryos to have a baby View the advocacy resource
What support for IVF looks like
Bipartisan support for IVF, that is responsible for the birth of over 2% of all babies born in the USA each year, will ensure that families continue to grow. View the advocacy resource
