Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that if re-elected, his administration would either cover the costs of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or require insurance companies to reimburse for the procedure.
When asked by a reporter about his stance on IVF, particularly given how “political” the issue has become, Trump responded, “I’ve always supported IVF from the beginning. It’s about fertilization, helping women, men, and families. It’s about helping women have a baby.”
Trump acknowledged that some couples face “great difficulty” conceiving and highlighted that many who undergo IVF are “very happy with the results.”
“We’re doing this because it’s a wonderful thing,” Trump added. “We need more children—beautiful children in our country. Under my administration, we will ensure that the treatment is paid for. Either the government will cover the cost, or we will mandate that insurance companies do so.”
Trump’s announcement follows a decision by the University of Alabama at Birmingham health system in February to pause IVF treatments after a court ruling classified frozen embryos as children. The health system resumed IVF services in March after new legislation was passed.
In April, Trump expressed his strong support for IVF, stating, “I fully support the availability of IVF for couples trying to have a precious baby. What could be more beautiful or important than that?” He also praised Alabama’s legislature for swiftly passing laws to ensure IVF remained accessible in the state, calling their efforts “a great and fast job.”
In response to Trump’s statement, the Biden campaign, while Joe Biden was still in the race, accused Trump of supporting “extreme abortion bans across the country that criminalize doctors, threaten IVF, and force rape victims to give birth.”