Senate Panel Advances Defense Bill Without Expanded IVF Coverage for Military Families

The Senate Armed Services Committee rejected a provision in the annual defense policy bill that would have expanded coverage of fertility services for military members and their families, including in vitro fertilization. Sen. ), the sponsor of the provision, said the measure was blocked from consideration by committee Republicans.

“All my provision seeks to do is provide our troops with the same access to IVF that all Members of Congress already have. After everything our troops sacrifice for our nation, they should never have to sacrifice their dreams of building a family,” Duckworth said in a statement.

Duckworth said the same language had passed the Senate Armed Services Committee in each of the past two years and cleared the full Senate with a bipartisan majority last year.

“And yet this week, every single Republican on the committee betrayed our heroes and voted against the very same language they supported last year,” she said. The annual defense policy bill passed the committee by an 18-9 vote and will soon be considered by the full Senate.

Tricare insurance currently covers fertility services only for military members whose infertility was caused by a serious or severe illness or injury while on active duty. Duckworth’s provision would have required Tricare to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF.

The provision would also have directed the secretary of Defense to create a program on fertility-related care coordination for military families.

Duckworth’s IVF provision was included in both the House and Senate versions of last year’s National Defense Authorization Act but was left out of the final compromise version. Some anti-abortion advocates oppose IVF because it often involves the disposal of unused embryos.