House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Essential Family Building Health Care
HB 1158 would Provide Insurance Coverage for Fertility Treatments for Families
DENVER – Today, the Colorado House of Representatives passed House Bill 1158, The Colorado Building Families Act, sponsored by Representatives Kerry Tipper (D-Lakewood) and Leslie Herod (D-Denver) on a bipartisan vote. This legislation would expand access and remove economic barriers to fertility treatment by requiring health benefit plans to cover diagnosis of infertility, treatment for infertility, and fertility preservation services. According to the Centers for Disease Control one in eight Americans suffer from infertility and both men and women are affected by infertility equally.
“Today, the House passed critical legislation to require insurance companies to cover infertility treatment,” saidRepresentative Tipper. “Coloradans across our state, whether they are suffering from infertility due to a life saving cancer treatment, natural causes, or a combat related injury are having to choose between heart-wrenching financial decisions or giving up their dream of being parents. No one should be forced to give up parenthood because of cost of treatment.”
“I’ve heard from countless constituents that it is cost prohibitive to seek infertility treatment because their insurance won’t cover it,” said Representative Herod. “With House passage today, we are one step closer to breaking down one of the most significant barriers to starting a family for Coloradans who are suffering from infertility.”
Even though infertility is a disease as determined by the American Medical Association, insurance coverage for fertility care is limited. House Bill 1158 will reduce the financial strain on families while only minimally impacting insurance premiums. In other states, premiums have increased by less than one percent.
“The families we work with may struggle with fertility for a variety of reasons, but one thing they have in common is an economic barrier to the medical treatment they deserve,” said Crystal Wilson from Colorado Fertility Advocates. “Threats of large premium increases to cover fertility treatments are just not accurate because they don’t look at the whole picture. In other states where fertility coverage is provided premiums increased around one dollar per month to help people build their families.”
Due to the initial cost of In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, consumers often resort to riskier and less effective options which when successful often result in premature and multiple births. Studies show that states that do not require insurance coverage have the highest rate of live births of multiple infants, while states that provide fertility coverage have fewer rates of multiple births. Multiple pregnancies cost about $4.2 billion more than single pregnancies in pre-term care. Studies estimate the national savings from fewer multiple births would be over $6 billion a year.
Many businesses are already providing this coverage. A survey conducted by insurance broker Willis Towers Watson indicated that 55 percent of employers offered fertility benefits to their employees, and 91 percent of employers offering these benefits have not experienced increases in their medical costs. Across the political spectrum from New York to Arkansas, 17 other states have infertility insurance laws. This bill will now head to the Senate.
###
About Colorado Fertility Advocates: Colorado Fertility Advocates is a non-profit organization supporting families, advocating for fertility friendly legislation in Colorado, setting statewide industry standards, providing education and networking opportunities for fertility professionals and advocates.
