You're Worth Fighting For
Maybe you've heard, but during the RESOLVE Advocacy Day in May two legislators took a stand - a big stand - for the 1 in 8 couples in America facing infertility.
Senator Cory Booker and Representative Rosa DeLauro introduced a bill in the Senate and the House that would require insurance coverage for infertility treatment - for all Americans.
Whether you are fortunate enough to have insurance coverage for any part of your infertility treatment or not, you know how expensive, draining (financially and emotionally), and straight up stressful finding funds to pay for it can be.
Many find a way to do it, though. We save, scrimp, borrow, and take on extra work to cover the costs. Each decision about our future family is made with a lens of the cost it will incur. In addition to the stress of wanting each treatment to be THE one that will work, we face the stress of not knowing if there will be another opportunity due to the cost involved.
But you know all of this.
What you may have missed - or celebrated but not known what to do about it - is that there's a growing army of very powerful people who have taken a stand and said this is no longer acceptable. In addition to Senator Booker and Representative DeLauro, leaders from RESOLVE, ASRM, and a group of patients, physicians, pharmaceutical leaders and more were in DC to talk with legislators about how insurance coverage for infertility treatments would make a difference in their lives. (Check out this video from one of my clients who was there. How awesome is this??)
How different would your life be if you had insurance coverage for the treatment you need to build your family? How different do you want this experience to be for those who will come behind you?
This is so far from a "done deal" and will not just happen. At this point, the bill is not much more than a nice press release and talking point. To make insurance coverage for infertility treatment a reality, the advocates who have stepped forward need our help. Government works by and for the people - that's us, friends.
If you agree that insurance coverage for infertility - a recognized medical condition - is important, then please make your voice heard. Our Misconception, two of these advocates who were in DC on Advocacy Day, wrote a terrific summary about their experience and how to help make this bill a reality. Please read and share.
Even if you aren't public with your journey, asking just the individuals you do share with to call, email, or write a letter will make a difference. And what a great response to offer for those "what can I do to help?" questions. Just pass along this link with all the details.
It breaks my heart when I hear from women how the cost prevents or delays necessary treatment to build their family. And, up until recently, it seemed a foregone conclusion that this was just another sucky part of the process. Here's a light, friends. Grab onto it and walk that way.
I'm joining the fight and will be spreading the word. Are you with me?