Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 19, 2022 11:33 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Steven R. Malagari and Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, Rep. Sara Innamorato |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Ensuring Insurance Coverage for Infertility for All Pennsylvanians (former HB2142) |
| The right to procreate, and by extension the right to infertility services, is rooted in firm moral grounds that every human has the freedom to start a family. Infertility is considered a disease that impairs a person’s capacity to reproduce either as an individual or with a partner. One in ten U.S. women 15–44 years of age have difficulty getting or staying pregnant and face medical challenges in having children. Infertility affects men and women equally, with one-third of infertility cases caused by male reproductive issues, one-third by female reproductive issues, and one-third by both male and female reproductive issues or by unknown factors. In addition to heterosexual couples, other populations may face barriers to family building and require medical assistance to have children. While there are several forms of fertility assistance, many services are out of reach for most people due to cost. Infertility treatments typically cost patients thousands of dollars, ranging anywhere from $18,433 to $85,563. As such, insurance coverage for infertility services is a fundamental requirement to nurturing families and communities in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, insurance laws protecting a person’s right to procreate are non-existent in Pennsylvania. This disheartening circumstance is made worse by the fact that every single one of our border states has an infertility insurance coverage mandate. The lack of an insurance mandate for infertility services means that the right to build a family in the face of infertility appears to be reserved only for those who can afford it. This reality is socially unjust and incompatible with Pennsylvania’s strong community values. To address this, we are introducing legislation requiring insurance coverage for infertility services. The ability to start and cherish a family is a foundational element for strong communities and provides future generations with a pathway to fulfill their potential. We hope you are encouraged to join this small measure to protect the rights of Pennsylvanians to raise loving families. Former cosponsors: Sanchez, Delloso, Kinsey, D. Miller, T. Davis, Mullins, Schlossberg, Freeman, Webster, Howard, N. Nelson, Otten, Rozzi, Guenst, Lee, Cephas, Shusterman, Daley, Krueger, McNeill, Fiedler, Ciresi and Sims |
Introduced as HB1383