Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will ensure that insurance companies or the government cover in-vitro fertilization procedures if he wins office.
Trump Promises IVF Coverage Under His Administration
He made the announcement on NBC, saying, “Under the Trump Administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment.”
Access to Artificial Reproductive Technology for All Americans
“All Americans who need it” are going to have access to artificial reproductive technology, according to Trump.
Potential Mandate on Insurance Companies
He said that either “we’re going to be paying for that treatment or we’re going to be mandating that the insurance companies pay.”
Details on Mandate and Cost Coverage Unclear
Trump did not provide any particulars on what a mandate on insurers would look like or how the cost would be covered, but he emphasized that he was “always for IVF.”
Current State of IVF Coverage by Insurance Companies
Many insurance companies and employers do not cover IVF or other fertility treatments. According to benefits consultant Mercer, over 50 percent of large employers covered the procedures in 2022.
Impact of 2024 Alabama Supreme Court Ruling on IVF
IVF played a significant role on the national stage in 2024, as IVF services were halted in Alabama following a state Supreme Court ruling stating that frozen embryos were entitled to the same protections as other living children.
Legal Implications of Alabama’s Supreme Court Decision
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered people. Therefore, individuals in the medical community or elsewhere who destroy the embryos are liable for the death of the embryonic person.
IVF Clinics Halt Operations in Alabama
IVF clinics closed throughout Alabama as clinics and doctors worked to understand the implications of the new ruling.
Republican Party Faces Internal Division Over IVF
Lawmakers at the state and federal levels scrambled to address the new curveball that divided the Republican party and the more significant pro-life movement.
Alabama Republicans Address Liability Issues for IVF Providers
Ultimately, Republicans in Alabama worked to address the liability issues for IVF providers to keep the clinics open for reproductive technology services.
Trump-Vance Campaign’s Strategy on Abortion and IVF
Ensuring access to IVF and guaranteeing payment for the expensive procedure is one way that the Trump-Vance campaign is trying to soften the Republican messaging on abortion, which is primarily seen as unpopular with moderate voters.
Trump’s Role in Overturning Roe V. Wade and Current Position on IVF
The left has credited Trump for being responsible for the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe V. Wade in 2022 since Trump appointed three of the nine Justices on the bench, giving the conservatives a comfortable majority.
Trump-Vance Ticket Stance on Federal Abortion Ban
The Trump-Vance ticket has rejected outright a bid for a federal abortion ban from pro-life groups, and Trump has been vocal in 2024 about his overwhelming support for the nationally popular IVF procedure.
