Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that if elected in November, his administration would protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and have the government or insurance companies cover the costs of the treatment.
“Under a Trump administration, we're going to be paying for that care,” he said in an exclusive interview. NBC NewsHe added that this is for “every American who gets it, every American who needs it.”
“So we will either pay for that care or require the insurance company to pay,” he added.
He did not elaborate on what the mandate would look like, but insisted he has “always been pro-IVF,” according to NBC.
“From the very beginning, from the moment I heard about this, I'm helping women, men and families,” he said.
In vitro fertilization has become a central concern for politicians and voters alike over the past year after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos and fertilized eggs are considered people in the law and that those who destroy them can be held responsible for their deaths.
IVF services had been largely halted in the state, but lawmakers quickly passed a bill addressing civil and criminal liability for IVF providers, allowing services to resume.
The Trump-Vance campaign, like the Republican Party as a whole, has sought to avoid issues related to abortion and reproductive rights ahead of the 2024 election, given that anti-abortion policies have become unpopular among voters since Roe v. Wade was overturned two years ago.
President Trump appointed the three justices who helped shape the landmark ruling that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but has repeatedly been criticized by Democrats for overturning the ruling in 2022.
Infertility remains a common problem among Americans, yet many insurance companies and employers still don't cover fertility treatments like IVF. According to the Associated Press, 54% of the largest U.S. employers (those with more than 20,000 employees) covered IVF in 2022. It was reported, To quote employee benefits consultant Mercer:
The debate over IVF erupted on Capitol Hill earlier this summer, with senators introducing competing bills aimed at protecting access to the treatment.
