ST. PAUL 鈥� Minnesota lawmakers will take another look this session at passing a bill to cover infertility insurance costs for residents.
This year marks the third year the Minnesota Legislature will see a version of the 鈥� 鈥�
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The bill proposes comprehensive coverage of insurance costs for infertility diagnosis and treatment (including IVF), as well as insurance coverage for fertility services for cancer patients and others at risk of medically induced infertility. have already written fertility insurance coverage into law, according to the National Infertility Association.
While the bill has not been introduced yet, Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said she will be bringing the bill forward this session.
鈥淭here are too many families in Minnesota who are mortgaging their houses and cashing in their 401(k)s, leaning on friends and families, or who don't have the ability to do any of those things, and therefore, able to have the children that they want in this state, and we are going to change that,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are going to be more children in Minnesota who are loved and wanted and cared for because of the work we are doing right here.鈥�
One in 6 Minnesotans according to the National Infertility Association.
Supporters of the bill rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 4, organized by the .
鈥淲e are one of the best states for raising a family. We need to be the best state for building our families,鈥� said Meta Getman, with the coalition. 鈥淟et's make sure that no one has to face the heartache and financial burden of infertility alone and be forced to decide that they cannot have a family because they don't have the ability to try.鈥�
Monica Meyer, political director with Gender Justice, spoke at the rally sharing the story of when she and her partner decided to start trying to get pregnant. Her partner was diagnosed with cancer and, after going into remission, was denied insurance coverage for fertility care.
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鈥淲e are here because everyone deserves a chance to build a family, no matter their income, employer and who they love,鈥� she said. 鈥淩ight now, too many people are being denied access to the reproductive health care they need simply because insurance companies refuse to cover it.鈥�
Miraya Gran, with the Minnesota Building Families Coalition, said she never knew trying to have a baby would be so hard.
鈥淢y husband and I were fortunate enough to conceive our beautiful daughter through in vitro fertilization, also known as IVF, and there she is today,鈥� Gran said. 鈥淏ut here's the thing, our insurance didn't cover infertility treatments. So what did we do? We took out a second mortgage, we drained our savings. We had to lean on our family and fundraise for us. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I need a bake sale to have a baby.鈥�
Sen. Alice Mann, DFL-Edina, who is a practicing physician and has patients who face infertility, also spoke at the rally.
鈥淭here should not be cost barriers to getting the treatment for this or any other disease that we need treated,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o infertility, of course, is often a disease that is overlooked and is not thought of as an equal to other diseases.鈥�
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