Nunn, Wasserman Schultz Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Fertility Services

Subscribe For Newsletter Updates! M About Blog News Priorities Issues Sponsored Legislation SHARE YOUR OPINION: 2025 Farm Bill SHARE YOUR OPINION: What are your priorities? 21 County Tours Serving You Get help with a Federal Agency Service Academy Nominations Visit DC Grant Program Application Internships Commendations and Greetings Congressional App Challenge Purchase a Flag Help for Veterans Mobile Office Hours Iowa Medal of Merit Contact Email Zach Get E-Mail Updates Office Locations Website Problem Follow Follow Follow Follow Mar 26, 2026 | Helping Families & Kids , News , Press Releases Nunn, Wasserman Schultz Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Fertility Services WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) today introduced the Helping to Optimize Patients’ Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act , bipartisan legislation to expand access to infertility diagnosis, treatment, and fertility services for Americans seeking to start or grow their families. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Laurel Lee (FL-15) joined as co-leads of the bill. “As a father of six, I’ll never have a more important title than ‘Dad.’ Starting a family is one of the biggest dreams couples have, and no one should be denied that opportunity because of infertility, cancer treatments, or cost,” said Rep. Nunn . “The HOPE with Fertility Services Act makes sure that fertility care is within reach for every family — not just those who can afford it or happen to have the right insurance plan. This isn’t a Republican or Democrat idea — it’s an American one, and I’m proud of the strong bipartisan support behind it.” For families in Iowa and across the country, infertility affects roughly one in six people, with cost remaining the single greatest barrier to care. A single in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle can cost between $12,000 and $25,000, and many patients require multiple cycles to achieve a successful pregnancy. At the same time, insurance coverage varies widely by state and employer, leaving millions of Americans without access to the care they need to start or grow their family. “Infertility impacts millions of families and it doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone who wants to start or grow a family,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz . “I know firsthand. Thanks to IVF, my husband and I conceived our twins, now both healthy young adults. But after enduring that struggle, I’ve fought to expand insurance coverage for the prohibitively costly fertility treatments that can make this only accessible to the very few who can afford it. As a breast cancer survivor, I’m also concerned with how a diagnosis, and treatments can affect survivors’ ability to conceive or even prevent cancer from being genetically passed on. So, for many survivors with a BRCA gene mutation, like me, IVF can be a godsend.” The HOPE with Fertility Services Act would require group health plans that cover obstetrical services to also cover infertility diagnosis, treatment, and standard fertility preservation services. This includes individuals diagnosed with conditions that prevent conception or carrying a pregnancy to term, those experiencing unexplained infertility, and patients whose fertility is at risk due to medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or other invasive procedures. The legislation builds on actions taken by the Trump Administration to expand access to fertility care. On February 18, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing agencies to reduce fertility treatment costs. The Administration subsequently advanced discounted fertility medications through TrumpRx and issued guidance to increase employer flexibility in offering fertility benefits. The HOPE with Fertility Services Act establishes a legislative framework to complement these executive actions — particularly in the employer-sponsored insurance market, where executive authority alone cannot reach. “So many loving couples want to start a family but struggle with infertility. With soaring out-of-pocket costs for in vitro treatment and other fertility care, Americans are oftentimes prevented from being able to have children,” said Rep. Malliotakis . “Even for Americans with health insurance plans that provide some coverage, this critical treatment can be cost-prohibitive. This legislation would expand coverage and provide access to fertility treatments for millions of Americans who dream of expanding their family but have faced difficulties due to disease, ailment or unexplained infertility.” “Insurance coverage and cost should never be a barrier to anyone’s dream of starting a family. This bipartisan bill will ensure infertility is treated like another medical condition, so people can get the care they need,” said Rep. Houlahan. “I am proud to join my colleagues on this long overdue legislation to expand family building options to all who n