Thousands of women push U.S. regulators to expand root-cause fertility coverage

In May, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury unveiled an “excepted fertility benefit,” an optional, customizable add-on to major medical plans intended to cover diagnosis, mitigation or treatment of infertility and related conditions. The proposal, rooted in President Trump’s executive order on IVF access, attracted an unprecedented 4,652 public comments by July 13, far above the norm for federal rules.

Analysts estimate at least 62 % of submissions urged inclusion of root-cause restorative reproductive medicine, fertility-awareness methods and explicit naming of such care in the rule. Commenters shared personal stories of how clinics using NaProTechnology, Natural Procreative Technology, FEMM or NeoFertility helped them overcome hormonal imbalances, PCOS, or miscarriage risk and achieve natural pregnancies, often at high out-of-pocket cost.

Recent surveys by Carrot and J.L. Partners reveal that a large majority of women would prefer less invasive, metabolism-focused fertility options if supported by clinicians. Regulators must now finalize language that defines infertility as a symptom of underlying health issues, mandates coverage for restorative care, and educates employers and the public before the rule takes effect on Jan. 1 2027.