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A new House bill would provide a federal income tax credit of up to $20,000 for an individual and $40,000 for a couple for fertility treatments.
Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., introduced the IVF Access and Affordability Act bill together with support from two Republican co-sponsors.
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The bill is under the jurisdiction of the House Ways and Means Committee.
The new bill is similar to an earlier fertility treatment tax credit bill that Lawler filed in August, in the 118th Congress. That bill died in committee.
Although the bill would help workers or others pay for any kind of assisted reproductive services, it could be especially helpful to employer health plan participants using in vitro fertilization services.
The cost of one cycle can range from about $5,000 to $20,000, according to CNY Fertility. Many women need two or more cycles to conceive.
Lawler said he has a personal interest in fertility services. "My wife and I have gone through challenges along the way to build our own family," he said.
Lawler has also backed bipartisan efforts to require health insurers to cover fertility services.
Fertility benefits are getting a high level of attention this year.
About 47% of large employers and 70% of very large employers now have health plans that cover IVF services, according to Mercer.
Related: Trump calls for 'aggressively' reducing IVF costs for health plans
Many states have been considering fertility benefits law and regulation updates.
Resolve: The National Infertility Association, is backing fertility benefits bills in Oregon and Washington state.
But the IVF tax credit could face strong headwinds.
Lawler is introducing the bill as Congress is in the middle of a tough budget and tax policy fight, with many in Congress nervous about how much the federal government is already spending on health care and the impact of existing health-related tax breaks, such as the group health benefits tax exclusion.
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Allison Bell
Allison Bell, a senior reporter at ThinkAdvisor and BenefitsPRO, previously was an associate editor at National Underwriter Life & Health. She has a bachelor's degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She can be reached through X at @Think_Allison.
