Repronews #47: California to require insurance companies to pay for IVF

Most Americans not worried about low birth rate; Catherine Pakaluk's "Hanna's Children"; Russia to fine up to $54,000 for "childfree ideology", "Do it for Denmark"

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D).

Welcome to the latest issue of Repronews! Highlights from this week’s edition:

• Repro/genetics

  • California requires insurance companies to pay for IVF treatment

• Population Policies & Trends

  • YouGov poll: Most Americans are not concerned about the low U.S. birth rate, though opinion is polarized by sex and political ideology

  • A review of Catherine Pakaluk’s Hanna’s Children on highly-educated women with five or more children.

  • Russia to fine organizations promoting “childfree ideology” up to $54,000

  • “Do it for Denmark”

• Genetic Studies

  • Study of 2,400 British twins finds “fussy eating” in toddlers is 60% heritable, rising with age

• Further Learning

Repro/genetics

“California governor signs bill making insurance companies pay for IVF treatment” (USA Today)

• California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law legislation requiring certain insurance providers to cover costs for infertility treatment and IVF.

• “California is a proud reproductive freedom state—and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family,” Governor Newsom, a Democrat, said. “We are proud to help every Californian make their own choices about the family they want.”

• The law requires large group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility services, including IVF. The bill requires these companies to cover a maximum of three completed oocyte retrievals, a process where eggs are taken from the ovaries.

• The requirements would be for healthcare service plans issued, adjusted or renewed on or after July 1 next year.

• The bill also expands the definition of infertility to cover same-sex couples and single Californians.

• The estimated average cost per IVF cycle is about $12,000, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASMR), but can be much higher.

• ASMR welcomed the bill’s signing saying: “Now we look forward to [California’s] neighbors in Oregon and Washington following their leadership and bringing equitable, accessible fertility coverage to their states.”