Trump unveils measures to cut IVF costs with insurance, drug discounts

Washington [US], October 17 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled two initiatives aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), fulfilling a key campaign promise.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump announced that his administration would issue guidance allowing employers to provide IVF coverage as part of company health insurance plans. He also revealed an agreement to lower the price of a widely used fertility drug.

The updated guidance, developed by the Department of Labor, Treasury Department, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), would make opting into fertility benefits similar to enrolling in dental or vision coverage. Administration officials stressed that offering the benefit would remain voluntary for employers, and implementation would take time. Premiums would depend on each employer's contribution and the structure of their health plans, The Hill reported.

Trump highlighted the agreement with EMD Serono to provide discounted fertility drugs, including Gonal-F. "EMD Serono, the largest fertility drug manufacturer in the world, has agreed to provide massive discounts to all fertility drugs they sell in the United States," Trump said.

EMD Serono's vice president of fertility and HIV/endocrinology in US, Libby Horne, confirmed the company would offer treatments at an 84% discount off list prices. She added that another IVF drug, Pergoveris, had been submitted for review under the FDA's National Priority Voucher program. Pergoveris is already available in multiple countries, including Canada, Europe, and Asia.

According to Hill, Trump, who has billed himself as the "fertilization president," also credited Alabama Senator Katie Britt (R) for initiating efforts to expand IVF access. "This is the most pro-IVF thing that any president in the history of the United States of America has done," Britt said from the Oval Office.

The initiatives follow a February executive order by Trump directing federal agencies to explore ways to reduce IVF costs. IVF procedures can cost between $15,000 and $20,000 per cycle, a point Trump highlighted during the campaign, though some Republicans questioned the feasibility of government or insurance coverage for such expenses.

The topic of IVF gained national attention in 2024 when the Supreme Court of Alabama ruled frozen embryos could be considered children, halting services at clinics concerned about legal risks. The Alabama Legislature later enacted protections for IVF providers.

Trump emphasized his administration's dual approach of insurance guidance and drug pricing to make IVF more accessible, reiterating his commitment to reproductive treatments. The Hill noted that the Department of Government Efficiency-induced layoffs at HHS had previously affected offices handling reproductive medicine, but Trump's latest measures aim to strengthen support for fertility services. (ANI)