The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said it would provide in vitro fertilization (IVF) for same-sex couples and single veterans, extending the benefit to members regardless of marital status.
The VA announced the expansion of the benefit Monday. VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the expansion has long been a priority of the department and it is working on having the benefit available imminently nationwide.
“Raising a family is a wonderful thing, and I’m proud that VA will soon help more Veterans have that opportunity,” McDonough said in a statement. “This expansion of care has long been a priority for us, and we are working urgently to make sure that eligible unmarried Veterans, Veterans in same-sex marriages, and Veterans who need donors will have access to IVF in every part of the country as soon as possible.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, applauded the announcement. The senior appropriator has long fought for the expansion.
“Servicemembers and veterans have sacrificed so much—but they should never have to sacrifice their ability to start a family,” Murray said in a Monday statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This announcement is an important step to help veterans start & grow their families—& it’s especially timely as IVF is under attack from the far right.”
Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled last month that embryos created through in vitro fertilization should be considered children, a decision that has led providers in the state to put a pause on their services given the potential legal repercussions of destroying unused embryos.
Murray is seeking to pass her Veterans Families Health Services Act with unanimous consent on the Senate floor Tuesday. She has worked on legislation for more than a decade to expand health care benefits for both VA and Department of Defense (DOD) members.
The DOD unveiled the new adjustments to its IVF eligibility policy Monday and will now allow members to use sperm or donor eggs. The new policy covers the price of reproductive technology for troops and their spouses.
“We continue to identify ways to lean forward as much as we can in support of equity of access to reproductive health care for our service members,” Kimberly Lahm, program director in the office of the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for health affairs for health services policy and oversight, said in a statement.