Trump Administration Aims to Cut IVF Costs with New Executive Order

 Trump Administration Aims to Cut IVF Costs with New Executive Order

On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to find ways to reduce the high costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for Americans facing fertility challenges. The order underscores the administration’s commitment to ensuring that fertility treatments become more accessible and affordable for those in need.

Speaking at an event at Mar-a-Lago, White House staff secretary Will Scharf explained that the order instructs the Domestic Policy Council to develop a set of policy recommendations within 90 days. These recommendations are aimed at protecting access to IVF and "aggressively" reducing the costs associated with the treatment. "These are treatments that have become unaffordable for many Americans," Scharf noted.

Currently, most states do not require insurance companies to cover IVF, a process that can cost tens of thousands of dollars per cycle. Even with insurance, the financial burden of IVF—which involves combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory to create an embryo—often remains prohibitive due to high costs for medications and procedures. In 2021 alone, over 85,000 infants were born as a result of IVF, highlighting both its widespread use and its financial impact.

The executive order states that it is the Trump administration's policy to "ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable." This move reflects a promise made by President Trump during his 2024 campaign, where he vowed that either the government or insurance companies would cover all costs associated with IVF treatments.

Despite this pledge, Senate Republicans recently blocked legislation proposed by Democrats that aimed to protect access to IVF and lower its costs. Critics of the proposed legislation argued that it was too broad, with support from only two GOP senators—Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

The issue of IVF access has become even more contentious following a controversial ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, which declared that frozen embryos should be considered children under state law. This decision has raised concerns over potential wrongful death claims if an embryo fails to survive the process, leading some providers to pause IVF treatments. In response, President Trump called on the Alabama legislature to "quickly find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF" in the state.

With the U.S. fertility rate declining—dropping 3% in 2023 compared to 2022, and averaging a 2% annual decline between 2014 and 2020—the administration’s efforts to make fertility treatments more accessible are seen as crucial. The new executive order signals a significant step toward addressing the financial barriers that many Americans face when seeking fertility care, with comprehensive policy recommendations expected in the coming months.