Medical treatments for infertility are increasingly expensive and difficult to navigate, rendering a growing number of women in Illinois unable to access the care necessary to start or grow their family. In response, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus held a press conference Wednesday to highlight legislation they are championing to make infertility treatments like IVF and preservation services more accessible. State-regulated health insurance plans are only required to cover standard, evidence-based fertility preservation services — such as cryopreservation — when deemed medically necessary, making these treatments largely inaccessible due to their high cost. To make fertility preservation services and treatment more accessible, Senate Bill 2623 would require insurers to cover expenses for standard fertility preservation and follow-up services for any interested patient, not only those who have been diagnosed with infertility. Senate Bill 2572 would require employers with more than 25 employees to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility in women, along with coverage for injectable medicines that improve glucose levels for those diagnosed with pre-diabetes, diabetes or obesity. To remove barriers that prevent many couples in Illinois from receiving coverage for IVF treatment, Hastings is championing Senate Bill 2639. The measure would require insurance companies to provide coverage for fertility treatments recommended by a licensed physician approving the covered individual to seek these treatments. Currently, insurance companies can require a patient to complete other procedures and test before receiving coverage for IVF, even with a licensed physician’s recommendation.