Sponsors (2)
The bill expands TRICARE to cover fertility diagnosis and treatments and builds DoD capacity to deliver them—improving family-building access for military families—while increasing Defense healthcare costs and keeping limits (a three-retrieval cap and guideline-based transfer rules) that may still leave some patients with unmet needs.
Active-duty service members and their dependents will gain TRICARE coverage for fertility diagnosis and treatments, including IVF, gamete preservation, and related medications.
Service members (particularly women) will have improved family-building options: coverage for up to three completed oocyte retrievals and allowance for embryo transfers (within ASRM guidelines), increasing the chance to build a family and reducing some repeat physical/financial burdens.
DoD will establish a coordination and training program to improve timely access and provider knowledge about service members' unique fertility needs, which should raise quality and speed of care in military health systems.
Taxpayers and the Defense Department will face higher DoD healthcare costs from expanding TRICARE to cover fertility treatments, which could require budget reallocation or increased spending.
Women and military families who need more than three completed oocyte retrievals may be left without coverage for additional cycles and could face substantial out-of-pocket costs.
Service members' access could be constrained by requiring embryo transfers to follow ASRM guidelines, which may limit clinician discretion and disadvantage patients with atypical medical circumstances.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires TRICARE Prime and Select to cover IVF and other fertility care for active‑duty members and dependents and creates a DOD program to coordinate care and train providers.
Official title: Amend title 10, United States Code, to provide fertility treatment under the TRICARE Program.
Introduced April 1, 2025 by Tammy Duckworth · Last progress April 1, 2025
Requires the Department of Defense to cover fertility-related care, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm/egg retrieval and preservation, artificial insemination, medications, care coordination, and related clinically appropriate procedures for active-duty service members and their dependents under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select. Limits IVF to up to three completed oocyte retrievals (with unlimited embryo transfers consistent with ASRM guidance), establishes a DOD program to coordinate fertility care and provide training/support to community providers, and sets the effective date for covered services as October 1, 2027. Changes add a new statutory benefit (10 U.S.C. § 1074p), require TRICARE coverage in accordance with that new statute, and create a Defense Department program (10 U.S.C. § 1110c) to coordinate services and train community providers on the unique needs of service members and dependents.