First appearance on Fox: House Republicans are working on legislation that would expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) for families who cannot afford it.
Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) told Fox News Digital and Fox News Radio that he is working on legislation that would reduce costs associated with in vitro fertilization.
“There will be tax incentives to help disadvantaged people access IVF, and I think that’s important because people who want to have a child have the opportunity to have a child. Because I think that IVF should be given. [a] That’s the way to do it,” Carey said Thursday.
Alabama House, Senate pass IVF protections following court ruling
Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) is ramping up efforts to expand access to IVF to middle- and low-income families. (Getty Images)
His bill would specifically target low- and moderate-income families who are trying to have children.
This follows an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that prompted three clinics in the state to suspend in vitro fertilization services, a Republican party that has previously struggled to unite around a broad message on the issue. This is a significant step for us. Two of the companies say they will reopen after the Alabama Legislature passes legislation protecting access.
Democrats used the ruling as a political bludgeon against the right, saying Republicans would crack down on IVF access and reproductive health measures across the country, an attack the right denies.
Alabama health care providers suspend IVF treatments after state court rules, giving weight to infertility experts’ opinions
A container containing frozen embryos and sperm stored in liquid nitrogen is removed at a fertility clinic in Fort Myers, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynn Sladke, File)
The Alabama ruling sparked a wave of support for IVF from Republican lawmakers across the country, but some conservatives argued the issue was best left to individual states.
Carey said his bill is in the “drafting stage,” but it is not the first bill introduced by Republicans in Congress after the court’s ruling.
But this is perhaps the most significant yet, with previous proposals primarily including resolutions supporting in vitro fertilization, but no real guardrails around access.
Depending on the clinic and the patient’s medical history, just one cycle of IVF can cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
Biden sends Secretary of Health and Human Services to visit Alabama after IVF ruling
The Alabama Legislature passed an IVF protection bill in response to a state Supreme Court ruling. (Ilya Nouberge for The Washington Post, via Getty Images)
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“I am considering expanding IVF to low-income people because I believe that anyone who wants to have a child should be able to have a child. Because some people may not be able to have children for whatever reason,’ ” Carrie said. “We’re working hard to get something done.”
He urged Republican lawmakers to “embrace” access to IVF.
“IVF is about family,” Carey said. “I think growing families and valuing children is something that we as Republicans need to embrace.”
