Sen. Tom Cotton, along with most Republicans, expressed openness to supporting former President Donald Trump’s proposal to have either the government or insurance companies pay for in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. Cotton emphasized the need to evaluate the fiscal impact and consider whether taxpayers can afford it before moving forward. Despite voting against the Right to IVF Act earlier in the year, Cotton stated that supporting couples seeking fertility treatments was not controversial in principle.
Trump had recently stated that if elected, he would mandate insurance companies to cover fertility services like IVF. However, Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested a means-tested tax credit for Americans using fertility treatments as a more supportable option. Graham also expressed concerns over Trump’s plan to force insurance companies to cover IVF treatments, as it could potentially lead to unlimited expenses.
The issue of IVF has become politically charged, with Democrats accusing Republicans of threatening access to fertility and reproductive care. Fertility clinics in Alabama even paused IVF care following a controversial state Supreme Court ruling that embryos are considered people. This led to fears among reproductive rights groups that abortion bans in Republican-controlled states could limit access to other reproductive care services. Overall, the support for IVF funding and coverage varies among Republicans, with some endorsing a targeted tax credit approach while others express reservations about insurance mandates.
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