OPM Urged to Instate Full Federal Benefits for IVF Treatments
Congressional Democrats are pushing for full coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for federal employees, saying such benefits are necessary to keep the federal government a competitive employer.
More than 175 Congressional Democrats sent a letter to outgoing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kiran Ahuja.
Their ask: that all insurance carriers that participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program fully cover IVF for coverage year 2025.
“Requiring FEHB carriers to cover IVF medical treatments and medications for plan year 2025 would reflect the reality that IVF is one of the most effective treatments for families struggling with infertility,” wrote the congressmembers.
In 2024, FEHB started covering some elements of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for the first time, including artificial insemination and coverage for drugs needed for up to three cycles of IVF treatment. However, the needed drugs amount to just about 35 percent of the overall IVF cost, which can about $15,000 to $30,000 per cycle.
The lawmakers say covering IVF in full will not only save federal workers thousands of dollars, it will give them a reason to stick around, and give potential recruits, an added reason to sign on.
“Surveys demonstrate that employees experiencing infertility without adequate IVF coverage will express dissatisfaction with their employer and seek new professional opportunities,” the congressmembers wrote.
The congressmembers also wrote that the Biden Administration has a unique opportunity to lead by example and pave the way for the private sector.
“FEHB is a national trend setter for employer-sponsored coverage choices and making IVF coverage a default requirement would accelerate the adoption of pro-family policies beyond FEHB to ensure that more workers with employer-sponsored coverage are able to access IVF medical treatments,” said the letter.
Political Tension
In the background, IVF is growing as a hot-button political topic as lawmakers gear up for 2024 elections in the fall.
In February, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are legally “children,” effectively banning IVF in the state. The Alabama state legislature later passed a law to shield IVF providers from liability.
Since then, IVF has shown up in campaign ads, with Democrats targeting Republicans who are backing a bill to ban-IVF. Republicans have accused Democrats of attempting to make IVF a political issue in the wake of the Alabama ruling.
