Access to Assisted Reproductive Technology for All: The Battle to Remove Barriers and Protect Patients’ Rights
In a bid to ensure nationwide access to assisted reproductive technology (ART) for all families, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general advocating for the passage of the Access to Family Building Act in Congress. The Act aims to safeguard ART services, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and patients’ rights by guaranteeing access without unreasonable limitations, encouraging insurance coverage, and affirming patients’ autonomy over reproductive genetic materials.
Recently, an Alabama Supreme Court decision classified frozen embryos used in IVF as individuals, subjecting them to the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. This ruling halted IVF services across the state, impacting ongoing treatments for numerous patients. The attorneys general argue that such decisions endanger reproductive health services and interfere with families’ reproductive healthcare choices. They advocate for federal protections like the Access to Family Building Act to safeguard ART services and patients’ rights.
The high costs and lack of insurance coverage often bar access to vital ART services for individuals experiencing infertility or choosing single parenthood, including cancer survivors and same-sex couples. On average, ART procedures like IVF cost around $20,000 per cycle, with variations based on medical needs and cycle frequency. While 21 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws related to infertility insurance coverage, inconsistencies exist in definitions and coverage terms.
The coalition’s letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health urges Congress to act now by passing the Access to Family Building Act. Nearly two percent of all U.S births result from ART procedures; however, these disparities hinder access due to high costs and restrictive insurance policies particularly for LGBTQ+ couples who are disproportionately affected by this issue.
Attorney General Brown’s support aligns with the coalition’s effort to expand ART access for all families by ensuring they can access critical healthcare services without facing financial barriers or discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
In conclusion, it is time that Congress acts by passing legislation that ensures nationwide access to assisted reproductive technology (ART) without unreasonable limitations or discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Access to Family Building Act will help bridge this gap by guaranteeing patients’ rights to these vital services while encouraging insurance coverage and affirming patients’ autonomy over reproductive genetic materials.
