GOP Blocks Schumer’s IVF Bill

It is that time of the year when all-or-nothing legislation starts to hit the floor by the majority in charge.

To that point, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has dropped IVF legislation specifically to get the GOP on record on the issue.

However, IVF is not the issue, but rather how it will be covered.

Making a Point

When re-introducing the bill, Schumer made it a point that he wanted Republicans on record, stating, “We are going to give our Republican colleagues another chance to show the American people where they stand.”

As usual, though, Schumer was not telling the entire story.

The bill failed, 51-44, with Schumer announcing that he would have one more vote this weekend.

He added, "As our national debate on reproductive rights has continued to unfold, we have seen the Republican Party’s nominee for president claim to be ‘a leader in fertilization’ and come out in support of expanding access to IVF by requiring insurance companies to cover IVF treatment — a key provision included in the Right to IVF Act.”

Schumer is trying to take advantage of Donald Trump’s recent stance on IVF, having stated at a Michigan rally last month, "I'm announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment.

“Because we want more babies, to put it nicely."

The current bill, as is, has a stipulation that locks IVF treatment in for insurers that cover routine obstetrical services, which is where the debate begins with Republicans, even though Donald Trump has supported such a measure.

For instance, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) presented a bill that would prevent bans on IVF procedures but also allow for “commonsense” regulation.

Cruz also presented a letter at the time that was signed by every Republican in support of IVF.

Another bill was presented by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) that would have raised contribution limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) to help pay for expensive procedures, such as IVFs.

Both bills by the GOP were blocked by Democrats so Schumer could push his legislation and mislead the American people that the GOP is against IVF.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) explained that the GOP is hesitant to require insurance companies to provide coverage because it would raise already high insurance rates.

He added, "Obviously, it's something that our nominee has come out in support of, but there are lots of mandates that are imposed on insurance companies, which raise rates.

"Every Republican is for IVF. I don't know of any Republican that isn't. The question of whether or not insurance ought to cover it is another issue that we need to talk about."

This is all idiotic posturing on the part of the Dems. Rather than sit down with Republicans and hash out legislation that would get passed, they want to draw a line in the sand to gain political points, and the media will not even call them out on it.

Quite the opposite, actually, as the media has been hammering GOP Senators during interviews for voting down the legislation presented by Schumer.