Senator Lindsey Graham R-S.C. said on Sunday that he does not support requiring insurance companies to cover in vitro fertilization IVF treatments, a proposal suggested by former President Trump last week.
When asked about supporting the proposal, Graham responded, No … no, because there’s no end to that.
Last Thursday, Trump stated that if he is elected in November, his administration would ensure access to IVF, with either the government or insurance companies paying for the treatment. He mentioned this in an interview with NBC News, saying it would apply to all Americans who need it.
Trump added, So, we’re going to be paying for that treatment, or we’re going to be mandating that the insurance companies pay.
Although Trump did not provide details on how the mandate would work, he affirmed his support for IVF.
Instead of mandating coverage, Graham suggested offering a tax credit for people who use IVF and other treatments to become pregnant. He said, We have tax credits for people who have children. Maybe we should have a means-tested tax credit for people using IVF and other treatments to become pregnant.
Graham emphasized that the Republican Party is not against birth control or IVF treatments, stating, We’re not. We’ve been accused of being against IVF treatments. We’re not.
He also mentioned that the GOP could find common ground with Democrats on this issue.
Vice President Harris’s campaign criticized Trump’s proposal, calling it one of his most brazen lies yet. A campaign spokesperson said, Because Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, IVF is already under attack, and women’s freedoms have been restricted in states across the country.
IVF has been a key issue for politicians and voters, especially after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos and fertilized eggs are considered people under the law. This ruling led to the temporary halt of IVF services in the state until lawmakers passed legislation to allow services to resume.
The Trump-Vance campaign, like the broader Republican Party, has generally avoided discussing abortion and reproductive rights due to the unpopularity of their anti-abortion stance since the overturning of Roe v. Wade two years ago. Trump has often been blamed by Democrats for the reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, after he appointed three justices who voted in favor of the decision.
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