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Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, the Senate once again voted on the Right to IVF Act, a bill that would have guaranteed Americans the right to access fertility treatments, including IVF, mandated that most insurance plans pay for the procedures, and protected Americans from being punished for accessing these treatments. 33% of U.S. Latines have used fertility treatments or know someone who has, highlighting how vital these protections would be to our communities and the country. On Tuesday, a minority of Senators once again were able to block this important measure from becoming law. Below is a statement from Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation, regarding the recent vote:
Hispanic Federation joins with the millions of Americans in expressing our disappointment and frustration that straightforward legislation addressing an intensely personal issue for Americans everywhere, has once again become a casualty of political calculations. Procedures like those guaranteed by the Right to IVF Act are the cornerstone of flexible reproductive care. Almost 10% of men and women of reproductive age face some degree of fertility challenges. Likewise, artificial reproductive procedures provide an option to same-sex couples and single individuals across all states who want to have children. In 2021, over 2% of all U.S. children were born through artificial reproductive treatments, and more than half of those were first-time parents. In 2018, over 69% of reproductive-age cancer patients underwent some form of artificial reproductive treatment as a component of standard care. Despite this, there have been steps to curtail these procedures. IVF and related treatments have become an integral part of our families and must be protected as such.
Critics of this bill who have based their arguments on cost or cultural concerns misunderstand the reality of just how important reproductive treatments are for the average American. And with a successful cycle through IVF costing upwards of $50,000, the price of a child is simply too much for many Americans to bear. This act would alleviate a massive burden from so many households, thereby investing in America’s future. Hispanic Federation urges lawmakers to honor the reality that artificial reproductive care is central to the hopes and plans of Americans everywhere by returning to and passing the Right to IVF Act.
ABOUT HISPANIC FEDERATION
Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized and immigrant Latine. With programs in 40 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
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