Baton Rouge Representative Paula Davis has filed legislation to require health insurance to pay fertility preservation costs for cancer patients whose treatment could render them sterile. Davis said she was surprised to learn it wasn’t always covered by some health insurance plans.
“So, after they have had cancer treatment and are successful and are moving on with their lives, we want to be able to allow them to have biological children after cancer, so that’s what this bill does,” said Davis.
At the request of a constituent, last year Davis presented legislation (HB 537) to require health insurance to pay for fertility treatment in general.
“Actually, it was Representative Julie Stokes who we all know and love, who had breast cancer a few years ago. She’s the one who brought this to my attention and asked if we could put it in the IVF bill,” said Davis.
Even though Davis’ IVF bill failed to pass last year, this bill requires coverage only for fertility preservation costs for cancer patients, and she’ll build on the legislation in the future.
“Since I’m taking small bites of the apple this year, it is a fiscal session. So, we’re doing just a fertility preservation piece for patients who are under cancer treatment,” said Stokes.
The proposed law (HB 186) would be known as The Medically Necessary Fertility Preservation Act.
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