MS.NOW – House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is quietly working to strip a provision that would mandate health care coverage for assisted reproductive technology — including in vitro fertilization — for all active duty service members, according to Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
A spokeswoman for Speaker Johnson told MS NOW in a statement that President Trump and congressional Republicans “have been working to lower costs and expand access to IVF.”
“A careful assessment of the available data reveals that only about 4% of the human embryos (a.k.a. human children) conceived will survive to birth. Most are intentionally destroyed as these children’s existence is denied while being labeled ‘fertilized eggs’ by those wishing to dispose of them as waste.” – Dr. Damon Cudihy, OB/GYN
“The Speaker has clearly and repeatedly stated he is supportive of access to IVF when sufficient pro-life protections are in place, and he will continue to be supportive when it is done responsibly and ethically,” the spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman also emphasized that nothing is final in the NDAA at the moment, and the IVF language remains an outstanding issue.
The provision Johnson is targeting would mandate that TRICARE, the insurance plan for service members and their families, cover IVF services for all enrollees.
Currently, TRICARE only covers fertility services for military members whose infertility was caused by “a serious or severe illness or injury while on active duty.”
IVF – It’s all about the Benjamins … disposing of viable embryos is acceptable because it is profitable:
“A remarried widowed woman was unable to use the embryo she created with her late husband after receiving a storage invoice for the frozen embryo, she thought she did not have, thus finding out about it years after his passing. However, she could not use this embryo with her second husband because she did not have her late husband’s consent to use it in case of his death.” – North American Proceedings in Gynecology & Obstetrics
But that was set to change in this year’s NDAA, which lawmakers in the House and Senate expect to release this week after intense negotiations.
A source familiar with the congressional negotiations said removing the TRICARE provision from the bill text has been a sticking point for Johnson, and that his opposition stems from his opposition to abortion …
