Michigan Senate bill would require insurance to cover IVF and IUI fertility treatments

A Michigan Senate bill has been introduced to require certain fertility treatments to be covered under health insurance plans in the state. The goal is to eliminate the common financial gap between necessary treatments and what insurance will cover.  

"Thousands of hopeful Michigan families who need fertility treatments can't access them because their insurance doesn't cover it," said Stephanie Jones, President of Michigan Fertility Alliance Advocates. "They are forced to delay or give up on their dream of a family — or take out second mortgages, use retirement savings, host bake sales, or borrow from friends and family just to try." 

Infertility issues can happen among either men or women, and for a variety of reasons. About one in five married women who are of age to get pregnant, with no prior births, report they are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Senate Bill 922, sponsored by Sen. Stephane Chang (D-Detroit), calls for any company that provides health insurance in Michigan to include coverage for the fertility treatments of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) as of Jan. 1, 2027. Supporters say these standards align with the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.   

If passed, the bill calls for the treatment to be available "without discrimination" on the basis of age, ancestry, domestic partner status, gender expression or marital status. The coverage would not include "any medical costs of a surrogate after the embryo transfer." 

The bill was introduced on April 23, timed with National Infertility Awareness Week. Chang, Michigan Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), and fertility care advocates were among those participating in a press conference presenting the proposal. 

"Michiganders facing infertility, including cancer survivors and those with other medical conditions that make pregnancy impossible without treatment, are being blocked from starting or growing their families because insurance does not cover fertility treatments like IVF," Chang said. 

The supporters said expanding insurance coverage for fertility treatment could contribute to a strong workforce in Michigan by providing a healthcare benefit that prospective parents might consider in making employment decisions. 

"By requiring Michigan health insurers to cover standard-of-care fertility treatments, we can give more people a fair chance to build their families here in our state," Chang said. "I'm proud to partner with Samantha Steckloff and advocates across Michigan to move this critical issue forward."