President Donald J. Trump has put forward new federal rules allowing employers to offer stand-alone benefits that will expand access to IVF fertility treatments, in an effort to reverse America’s declining birthrate.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has proposed a new federal rule allowing employers to offer stand-alone fertility benefits, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage, as “limited excepted benefits.” This initiative aims to expand access to fertility treatments, which are often excluded from traditional health insurance plans, and comes in response to declining U.S. fertility rates. 📺 DETAIL: The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Treasury said the rule is intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs for families seeking fertility treatments while increasing access for workers whose employers do not currently provide IVF coverage. Under the proposal, fertility benefits would include diagnosis and treatment of infertility and related reproductive health conditions, with lifetime coverage capped at $120,000 and adjusted for inflation after 2028. The initiative follows President Donald J. Trump’s earlier executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to lower IVF costs and expand fertility care access amid declining U.S. birth rates. Officials said employees could enroll in fertility coverage without joining their employer’s primary health insurance plan, potentially widening participation. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “As services get better, we make them more affordable, we’ll have more Trump babies.” – Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator 🎯 IMPACT: If finalized, the regulation could reshape workplace family policies by encouraging more employers to offer fertility benefits, potentially easing financial burdens for families seeking IVF. The move could also address hiring and retention challenges as employers compete to provide attractive benefits. However, workers would only gain access if their employers opt to include the new plans. The proposed rule will undergo a public comment period before any final implementation 📈 DATA: The U.S. fertility rate fell to 54.5 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44 in 2023, continuing a years-long decline. The total fertility rate remains at 1.63 births per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1, according to CDC data. |
.@SecKennedy: “I just want to stress what a huge win for the MAHA movement, and for the pro-life movement https://t.co/kG9RMVuxqG is. It is one-stop shopping for IVF, for prenatal care, for postnatal care, for nutrition, for baby formula.” pic.twitter.com/F18LSqhUFg
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 11, 2026
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