Military Families Deserve IVF Coverage: A Call to Action from Rep. Sara Jacobs

May 19, 2025, marks the deadline for policy recommendations pertaining to President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at making in vitro fertilization, or IVF, more accessible and affordable. While the administration explores various unconventional strategies to boost birth rates, such as baby bonuses and awards for motherhood, I propose a more critical focus: supporting military families who long to expand their households.

As the representative for San Diego, the largest military community in the United States, I frequently listen to the stories of 110,000 active-duty service members and over 118,000 of their family members. Their daily challenges include managing rent, affording necessities, securing reliable childcare, and addressing infertility issues.

Take the example of Matt, a senior-enlisted sailor, whose journey mirrors many others in the military community. He and his wife, Jenny, welcomed two daughters through IVF after enduring five devastating miscarriages, seven frozen embryo transfers, numerous medical injections, and an expenditure of approximately $80,000.

The Infertility Crisis Among Military Families

Statistics reveal that nearly a quarter of active-duty service members and their spouses experience infertility, a figure that is twice the national average. Given the sacrifices demanded from our military personnel, it is not surprising that they struggle with reproductive challenges.

Military service often includes physically taxing training, unpredictable schedules, and frequent relocations during crucial reproductive years. Deployments can be lengthy and psychologically draining, separating service members from their partners and placing additional strain on their relationships. Moreover, the nature of military duty frequently exposes service members to hazardous conditions that can adversely affect fertility.

The Limitations of TRICARE

Despite the myriad stressors impacting military families, TRICARE, the military’s health insurance, provides fertility services only to those who can prove a service-related connection to an injury or illness. This stringent requirement leaves many military families with scant options. They either face the daunting prospect of paying tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for fertility treatments, forgo their dreams of parenthood, or exit military service altogether.

The cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on every American, but particularly on military families who often live on fixed incomes. Many find it especially difficult to afford essentials such as childcare, housing, and groceries, much less costly fertility treatments. The lack of accessible IVF coverage pushes some families to leave the military, exacerbating recruitment and retention issues and compromising our national readiness.

Legislative Response to the IVF Need

Military families urgently require improved access to IVF treatments. They have earned this support, and the legislation I introduced, titled the ‘IVF for Military Families Act,’ serves as a vital step forward. Alongside Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, I aim to mandate TRICARE to cover infertility diagnoses and treatments, including IVF procedures.

This legislation would encompass up to three complete egg retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers, and the necessary medications for IVF and intrauterine insemination, or IUI.

Starting this year, members of Congress, including our staff, now have access to comprehensive infertility treatments, including IVF, unlike many military families. This disparity highlights an unacceptable inconsistency in the support provided to service members and their families.

Encouraging Support for Military Families

Although I question President Trump’s commitment to expanding IVF coverage, he has previously labeled himself as the ‘Fertilization President’ and ‘the father of IVF.’ If he genuinely wishes to live up to those titles, supporting military families is an essential first step, given their extensive sacrifices for our nation’s safety and security.

The Impact of Expanding TRICARE Coverage

Enhancing TRICARE’s IVF coverage could serve as a pivotal moment, potentially transforming the market and ensuring that all Americans gain access to IVF. It could create competitive pressure on private insurers, compelling them to include IVF and other fertility treatments in their healthcare plans.

While the ‘IVF for Military Families Act’ is a significant move, the ultimate aim is broader: we seek to ensure universal access to comprehensive reproductive care. This access empowers individuals to decide when, and if, to start families.

A National Responsibility

We ask so much from our service members, including risking their safety, enduring separation from loved ones, and forfeiting certain freedoms. It is crucial that we do not also demand they abandon their aspirations for family building. As a nation, we must transform our words of appreciation for the military community into decisive actions.

Supporting the expansion of IVF coverage for military families stands as an excellent opportunity for President Trump to demonstrate his commitment to those who serve our country. It is time for our military families to receive the support they truly deserve.