Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has renewed her push to ensure service members and their families can access fertility services like in vitro fertilization. [Health News Illinois]

Duckworth and colleagues recently filed legislation to expand the fertility treatments and family-building services that are covered under service members’ and veterans’ healthcare to include in vitro fertilization and adoption assistance for service members and veterans who are unable to conceive without assistance. 

The plan would also give individuals the option to freeze their eggs or sperm ahead of deployment to a combat zone. 

“After all the tremendous sacrifices our brave women and men in uniform make, we should be doing everything we can to help our veterans fulfill their dreams of building a family,” Duckworth said in a statement. “I wouldn’t be a mother today without the miracle of IVF, which is one reason why I’m proud to be introducing this important bill that would help modernize our healthcare systems and expand fertility treatments so we can help ensure our servicemembers and Veterans receive the care they deserve.”

The legislation was previously included as part of Duckworth’s broader legislation to expand IVF services, which Republican colleagues previously rejected.

The filing comes amid reports that the White House does not plan to require health insurers to provide coverage for in vitro fertilization services, even though the idea was one of President Donald Trump’s key campaign pledges.

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