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By Suzanne Blake
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A newly introduced Democratic-led bill would significantly expand access to fertility treatments for veterans, including in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The legislation would not only expand access to reproductive technology nationwide but also include specific provisions for veterans and military families.
“For many Americans, fertility treatments like IVF are essential to start families of their own. This comprehensive legislation will guarantee access and expand coverage for IVF and other fertility services,” Rick Larsen, one of the House Democrats who unveiled the bill, said in a statement Thursday.
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“The legislation also includes my bill with Senator Murray, the Veteran Families Health Services Act, to ensure fertility treatments are included in servicemembers’ and veterans’ health benefits. I will keep working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to make sure that women and men in uniform and working families do not have to sacrifice their dreams of having a family.”
Why It Matters
Active-duty women report fertility problems at higher rates than their civilian counterparts, and veterans often face significant hurdles proving that infertility is connected to their military service.
According to Paralyzed Veterans of America, women veterans have a 50 percent higher infertility rate than civilians, and much of that is caused by injuries sustained during service. Newsweek reached out to the Paralyzed Veterans of America for comment via email.
Current VA rules provide IVF services only to certain eligible veterans and their spouses under limited circumstances. Because of these strict eligibility requirements, many former service members who struggle with infertility are unable to access coverage.
What is the Right to IVF Act of 2026?
The proposal is part of the Right to IVF Act of 2026, which was unveiled Thursday by House Democrats James Walkinshaw, Lori Trahan, Rosa DeLauro, Laura Gillen and Larsen.
The act includes the Veteran Families Health Services Act, a piece of legislation sponsored by Rick Larsen and Senator Patty Murray that would ensure fertility treatments are included in health benefits available to veterans and service members.
According to the bill announcement, the broader package is designed to expand IVF coverage for military families while guaranteeing access to fertility treatments across the country.
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“The Right to IVF Act wouldn't simply protect the legality of IVF, but would also create a nationwide right to receive and provide assisted reproductive care while requiring coverage across employer-sponsored plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and benefits for servicemembers and veterans,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.
“This would mark a major change from today’s system, one in which access often depends on a person’s employer, state, income or military status, and it could reduce the tens of thousands of dollars many families must pay out of pocket for IVF.”
Previous Attempts
The proposal comes as lawmakers have separately pursued efforts to permanently expand infertility treatment benefits through the VA. The Veterans Infertility Treatment Act of 2025 also looked to make the VA provide infertility treatment and fertility preservation services to eligible veterans.
Under that proposal, veterans could receive assisted reproductive technologies including IVF, fertility preservation services such as cryopreservation and storage of reproductive material, as well as access to donated sperm and eggs. The bill also provided for travel assistance for veterans and their partners seeking treatment.
The legislation specifically would allow up to three IVF cycles resulting in live birth or up to 10 attempted IVF cycles, whichever occurs first.
The latest action on the Veterans Infertility Treatment Act of 2025 was in February of 2025 when it was referred to the Subcommittee on Health, where it has been held up since.
Not everyone agrees on the morality of IVF. A group of Republicans led by Representative Matt Rosendale objected when the VA expanded its IVF care in 2024, saying in a letter, "IVF is morally dubious and should not be subsidized by the American taxpayer. It is well known that IVF treatments result in a surplus of embryos after the best ones are tested and selected. Parents’ uncertainty of what to do with the additional embryos and inclination to leave them frozen for many years rather than discarding them points to their inherent humanity.”
What Would the Right to IVF Act of 2026 Change?
Right now, a veteran has to jump through a “bureaucratic hoop” before they can get fertility treatment, said Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com.
“They have to prove that military service caused their infertility. Without that proof, they don't qualify. This bill would change that. No bureaucracy requiring you to trace the infertility back to a specific service event,” Ryan told Newsweek.
“That's a meaningful shift. But... the real barrier to IVF isn't access. It's cost. Out-of-pocket IVF runs $15-$20k plus per cycle. Insurance coverage is what makes it possible for most people. That's why mandated coverage matters more than just legalizing it.”
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If there is a federal mandate that makes IVF more affordable, more people, especially those who have struggled to conceive, may choose to pursue treatment, said Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast.
“The biggest challenge, however, will be political,” Thompson told Newsweek. “IVF remains controversial in some states because of religious concerns surrounding embryo disposition, so implementation could vary depending on how those debates unfold.”
What Happens Next
The Right to IVF Act of 2026 was introduced in the House on Thursday and was referred to multiple committees for consideration. As with any bill, it would need approval from both the House and Senate before reaching the president's desk.
The legislation package faces an uncertain path in a divided Congress, but if passed, it would be one of the most comprehensive efforts yet to expand fertility treatment access for veterans, service members and Americans at large.
“Over the long term, the bill could make fertility treatment a standard health benefit, although insurers, employers, and government programs would face higher upfront costs and difficult decisions over eligibility and limits on treatment,” Beene said,
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas
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