Give every family a fighting chance by making IVF accessible to all
Rep. Steve Malagari, Rep. Jennifer M. O'Mara, Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes July 25, 2025 | 10:29 AM
Today, July 25, marks the 47th anniversary of a medical miracle once thought impossible: in vitro fertilization. Since the birth of the first IVF baby in 1978, reproductive medicine has transformed countless lives. Yet today, too many hopeful parents in the United States still see this life-giving treatment as an unattainable luxury -- simply because of cost.
Private clinics routinely charge upwards of $15,000 for a single IVF cycle, and most insurance plans refuse to cover fertility treatments. That price tag shuts out millions of Americans who dream of starting a family, creating an unconscionable divide between those who can afford assisted reproduction and those who cannot. When basic medical care is determined by one’s bank balance, we undermine the very principle of health equity.
Deciding to expand your family is intensely personal. For the roughly 11 % of women and 9 % of men in the U.S. grappling with infertility -- whether due to endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, genetic conditions or other obstacles -- assisted reproductive technologies often represent the only path to parenthood. Denying coverage for diagnostics, lab work, embryo transfers, inseminations or preservation care isn’t just a financial barrier; it’s an assault on reproductive autonomy.
We must recognize fertility care as essential medicine, not an elective add-on for the well-heeled. That’s why House Bill 922 demands mandatory insurance coverage for the full spectrum of assistive reproductive services. By treating IVF and related procedures as fundamental health benefits, we affirm that everyone, regardless of income or ZIP code, deserves the same chance at building a family.
World IVF Day should be more than a celebration of scientific triumph -- it must be a national call to action. As we honor the millions of children born through assisted reproduction, let’s also remember the countless others still waiting in hope. No family should have to postpone their dreams -- or abandon them entirely -- because of financial hardship.
On July 25 and every day after, let’s resolve to turn fertility treatments from a privilege into a universal right. Insurers must step up. Legislators must act. And as a community, we must demand that the promise of IVF extends to all who need it. Everyone deserves the chance to have a family -- and it’s time our laws, our health care system, and our collective conscience reflected that truth.
State Rep. Jennifer O’Mara represents the 165th Legislative District in Delaware County. State Rep. Steve Malagari represents the 53rd Legislative District in Montgomery County. State Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes represents the 24th Legislative District in Allegheny County.