The Trump administration on Sunday proposed a new rule aimed at making fertility treatments such as IVF more accessible through employer-sponsored benefits. The idea is to let employers offer fertility coverage as a standalone benefit, similar to how they offer dental or vision insurance.
The proposal comes from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury. It would create a new category of "limited excepted benefits" for fertility treatments, which would be exempt from certain Affordable Care Act market reform requirements. That gives employers more flexibility in designing coverage plans without running afoul of the ACA's rules.
This rule builds on President Donald Trump's February executive order on expanding access to in vitro fertilization. It's part of the administration's broader push to support family formation and address declining U.S. birth rates.
Under the proposal, fertility benefits would cover diagnosis and treatment of infertility and related reproductive health conditions. Lifetime benefits would be capped at $120,000 for workers and their beneficiaries, with inflation adjustments beginning after 2028. Employers would also be required to provide clear notices explaining coverage terms.
Most Americans of reproductive age get health insurance through their jobs, but many workplace plans don't offer robust fertility benefits. IVF treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars per cycle, so this could be a big deal for families struggling with infertility.
"President Trump is committed to expanding access to fertility benefits so that more American families can have children," Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said in the announcement.
The proposal follows several recent administration initiatives tied to healthcare affordability and family support. Earlier this year, Trump launched TrumpRx.gov, a prescription pricing platform that included discounted fertility medications from drugmakers such as Pfizer (PFE), Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY), Novo Nordisk (NVO) and AstraZeneca (AZN). The administration also launched Moms.gov on Mother's Day, a federal platform offering pregnancy, parenting and maternal health resources.
The new rule is now open for public comment before it can be finalized. If it goes through, it could significantly change the landscape of fertility coverage in the U.S., making it easier for employers to offer and for workers to afford.
