January 25, 2024

Duckworth Reacts to DoD Expanding IVF Coverage for More Servicemembers

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years—today released the following statement regarding reports that the Department of Defense will expand coverage of in-vitro fertilization for more servicemembers by removing the marriage requirement and ban on donor sperm or eggs:

“Because of IVF, I was able to start my family and am a mom to two beautiful girls. After pushing to expand IVF coverage to more servicemembers in last year’s NDAA, I’m glad the DoD is making these changes and doing right by our servicemembers experiencing infertility who are seeking to start or grow their families.”

Last year, Duckworth pushed for a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to expand TRICARE—the main healthcare program for uniformed servicemembers—coverage of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services for servicemembers and their dependents. Duckworth also condemned Republican efforts to overturn an existing Department of Defense policy that allows servicemembers to seek the care they need and protects their reproductive rights.

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