New Military Families Act Mandates TRICARE IVF Coverage for Active Duty Starting 2027

The new "Bipartisan IVF for Military Families Act" is straightforward: it mandates that TRICARE must cover fertility-related care, including In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), for active duty service members and their dependents. This is a massive shift, as military families often face unique challenges accessing fertility treatments due to frequent moves and the high out-of-pocket costs associated with IVF, which can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. The coverage is set to kick in on October 1, 2027, and applies to both TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select plans.

The Fertility Benefit: What’s Covered (and What’s Not)

For service members and their families dealing with infertility—defined broadly as the failure to establish a pregnancy or the inability to reproduce without medical help—this bill is a game changer. The coverage is extensive, including diagnosis, sperm/egg retrieval and preservation, artificial insemination, and prescribed fertility medications. Critically, for IVF itself, the bill covers up to three completed egg retrievals per calendar year. This is a significant benefit, though the bill requires doctors to stick to single embryo transfers unless multiple transfers are medically necessary, following established medical guidelines.

However, the bill draws some clear lines on what Department of Defense funds absolutely cannot be used for. If you were hoping for coverage for advanced screening, you’re out of luck: Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) is explicitly prohibited. Also off the table are human cloning (thank goodness), artificial womb technology, and international surrogacy. These restrictions mean that while the bill opens the door to basic, essential IVF, it doesn't cover some of the more advanced or complex options often sought by patients.

No More Waiting Games, But a New Deadline

One of the most reader-friendly provisions is the ban on waiting periods. Once a licensed physician diagnoses infertility based on medical history, age, or testing, the Secretary of Defense cannot impose any waiting periods or other limitations before treatment can begin. This removes a major hurdle for families who need to start treatment right away. To ensure timely access, the Secretary must also establish a dedicated Fertility Care Coordination Program. This program is designed to help patients navigate the system and requires training for community healthcare providers on the unique needs of military families, which is smart given how often these families relocate.

The Fine Print: Cost and Timing

While the bill mandates coverage, it’s not a free-for-all. Cost-sharing amounts will be determined under existing TRICARE rules. This means service members will still have co-pays and deductibles, but the financial burden of the actual procedure costs will be shifted to TRICARE. For the average military family, this means the difference between paying $20,000+ out-of-pocket and paying only the standard TRICARE co-pays for the same service. The catch for current service members is the implementation date: October 1, 2027. If you need treatment now, this bill won't help immediately, requiring a wait of several years before the benefit is active. Furthermore, the definition of "Fertility treatment" includes "other services the Secretary deems appropriate," which gives the Secretary of Defense a lot of future discretion—for better or worse—in expanding or limiting what falls under this new benefit.