HB2557 would amend Title 10 to require TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select to cover fertility-related care for active-duty service members and their dependents. Coverage would include defined infertility and a broad set of fertility treatments, including IVF.
The bill also caps IVF at three completed oocyte retrievals and allows unlimited embryo transfers per ASRM guidelines. It adds a program to coordinate fertility-related care and training for providers, and specifies an effective date of October 1, 2027.
At a Glance
What It Does
Adds a new §1074p to require TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select to cover fertility-related care for active-duty members and their dependents. It caps IVF at three completed oocyte retrievals and allows unlimited embryo transfers per ASRM guidelines.
Who It Affects
Active-duty service members and dependents enrolled in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select; DoD and TRICARE providers and networks.
Why It Matters
Creates a defined path for military families to access fertility care, standardizes coverage terms, and introduces a DoD-coordinated care program to reduce delays in treatment.
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What This Bill Actually Does
This bill amends Title 10 to ensure fertility-related care is covered under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select for active-duty service members and their dependents. It introduces several key definitions and an IVF framework, including a cap on the number of oocyte retrievals and an open-ended allowance for embryo transfers consistent with ASRM guidelines.
In addition, the bill creates a Program on fertility-related care coordination to streamline access and support for patients by the Department of Defense, including training for community providers. The amendments are designed to take effect for services provided on or after October 1, 2027, and include a conforming amendment to cross-reference the new coverage provisions in 1079(a)(21).
The Five Things You Need to Know
Adds 1074p to require TRICARE Prime/Select to cover fertility-related care for active-duty members and dependents.
Caps IVF at up to three completed oocyte retrievals; allows unlimited embryo transfers under ASRM guidelines.
Defines infertility, fertility-related care, and fertility treatment (including IVF, retrievals, preservation, and related services).
Establishes a Program on fertility-related care coordination to ensure timely access and provider training.
Applies coverage to services provided on or after October 1, 2027, with a conforming amendment to DoD statutes.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Fertility treatment coverage for active-duty members and dependents
The bill inserts a new §1074p into Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, to require that fertility-related care for a member on active duty (or a dependent of such a member) be covered under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select. This establishes the basic eligibility and scope for benefits, defining fertility-related care and the included treatments so that active-duty families can access a defined set of services through the military health system and its network providers.
IVF limits and embryo transfers
Within §1074p, IVF is subject to a cap of not more than three completed oocyte retrievals. Embryo transfers may be unlimited, provided they are conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The limitations are intended to balance access to fertility services with cost and resource considerations across the DoD health system.
Definitions of key terms
The bill defines infertility as a disease, condition, or status meeting specific clinical criteria, and it defines fertility-related care and fertility treatment to include IVF, sperm/egg retrieval, embryo preservation, artificial insemination, transfer of reproductive material, medications, and related services and referrals. Clear definitions aim to standardize what is covered under TRICARE and to guide providers and beneficiaries.
Program on fertility-related care coordination
A new program administered by the Secretary of Defense is established to coordinate fertility-related care, ensuring patients receive timely services. The program includes training and support for community health care providers to address the unique needs of service members and dependents, with the aim of reducing delays and improving care coordination across systems.
Conforming amendment
A conforming amendment adds reference to §1074p in section 1079(a), ensuring the fertility coverage changes are integrated into the existing DoD coverage framework and not treated as a standalone policy shift.
Effective date and implementation
The amendments apply to services provided on or after October 1, 2027, establishing a clear implementation timeline for the TRICARE program to integrate the new coverage, limits, and coordination mechanisms.
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Explore Healthcare in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Active-duty service members pursuing fertility treatment and their dependents, who gain clarified coverage and access to defined fertility services.
- DoD and TRICARE administration, which gain a streamlined framework for coverage and a dedicated care-coordination program to improve access.
- Military health facilities and affiliated providers that will operate within a standardized coverage scheme and receive training under the coordination program.
- Reproductive endocrinology and fertility clinics that serve TRICARE beneficiaries and participate in standardized guidelines for embryo transfers.
Who Bears the Cost
- DoD and the TRICARE program, which may face increased expenditures due to expanded coverage and additional program development and training.
- Taxpayers, who bear the fiscal cost of expanded benefits.
- Contracted providers and clinics that must implement training and comply with new coverage rules.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing broad, timely access to fertility care for military families with the financial and logistical realities of providing high-cost medical treatments within a government-sponsored health program.
The bill expands access to fertility treatments for military families but introduces cost and implementation considerations. By capping oocyte retrievals while allowing unlimited embryo transfers, it aims to limit upfront expenses while preserving treatment flexibility within ASRM guidelines.
Implementing the coordination program will require collaboration with community providers and potential adjustments to existing DoD healthcare networks, which could pose transitional challenges. The broader policy question centers on how these benefits will scale across the DoD health system and what the long-term cost implications will be for TRICARE and taxpayers.
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