Bipartisan IVF for Military Families Act

Key Points

• Congress is considering a bill to make fertility treatments, including IVF, a standard part of military health insurance. Currently, TRICARE coverage for these services is very limited, but this change would allow active-duty members and their families to access help starting a family through their regular health plan.
• The plan covers a wide range of services, such as egg and sperm freezing, artificial insemination, and up to three rounds of IVF per year. It also includes the cost of medications and help coordinating care between different doctors to make the process easier for busy military families.
• This policy would apply to all active-duty service members and their dependents using TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. However, it specifically excludes former members of the military, meaning retirees or those who have already left the service would not be eligible for these new benefits.
• To keep costs down for families, the bill says that patients should only pay the same amount they would for any other doctor's visit or hospital stay. The government would also be banned from using funds for things like human cloning, international surrogacy, or artificial womb technology.
• If passed, these new benefits would not start immediately. The bill sets a start date of October 1, 2027, to give the Department of Defense time to set up the program and train healthcare providers on how to support the specific needs of military families.