Advocates Commend Advance in Fertility Care Coverage for Connecticut Families 

Fertility Access Connecticut (FACT) celebrates passage of bill to ensure private insurance uses standard-of-care, LGBTQ+-inclusive definition of infertility; calls on legislature to continue working to ensure all Connecticut residents have equitable access to the care they need to start a family. 

Fertility Access Connecticut, a coalition of LGBTQ+, reproductive health, and fertility care advocates commended the passage of HB 5374, a bipartisan bill which requires private insurers in Connecticut to provide coverage for fertility health care for LGBTQ+ couples and single individuals. The bill brings Connecticut’s private insurance market in line with the current standard-of-care definition of infertility.  

Many people need fertility health care to build their families and paying out-of-pocket for care is not accessible for most families who do not have fertility insurance coverage. LGBTQ+ people face often prohibitive costs for care or must prove their infertility with less reliable, self-paid treatments. This bill is a step toward addressing the barriers to family building many people currently face in Connecticut. 

While celebrating this advance, FACT members also urge the legislature to take the next step toward equitable access to fertility health care by requiring coverage for families insured by HUSKY Health. Current Connecticut law provides only limited coverage for infertility services for people with Medicaid as their insurance, which research indicates perpetuates racial disparities in access to fertility care. The status quo prioritizes only diagnosis but leaves people without the care they need to build a family. A separate bill to require coverage under HUSKY was introduced but not passed this session. 

Patience Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders said: 

“GLAD Law hears time and again from hopeful Connecticut parents who are unable to access the health care they need to start their families. This bill represents an important step forward to ensure Connecticut’s definition of infertility for the private insurance market reflects the standard of care, which provides that LGBTQ people and people who need medical care to start and grow their families can access fertility health care. We’re grateful to the Chairs of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, Senator Cabrera and Representative Wood, and to Representatives Nuccio and Allie-Brennan, for championing this measure to support Connecticut families, and we look forward to continuing to work with the legislature to end the exclusion of coverage of fertility care for families insured by HUSKY Health.”   

Gretchen Raffa Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, said: 

“We applaud the legislature for strengthening our state law to make fertility health care more accessible and inclusive of all people. This is especially important in a time when more threats to our reproductive freedom continue coming from the federal government, making it harder for people to decide whether, when, and how to build a family. With the passage of H.B. 5374 more people will have the freedom and power to make personal decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures. We are grateful for the leadership of co-chairs, Senator Cabrera and Representative Wood, and Representatives Allie-Brennan and Nuccio of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee for prioritizing this legislation to ensure that all people who pay for their private insurance are able to access the health care they need to build their families.” 

Matthew Blinstrubas, Executive Director of Equality Connecticut, said: 

“We’re happy that Connecticut has widened the universe of people who can create families to include queer families with private insurance. We’ll continue fighting for families covered by HUSKY who should not be left behind. 

Karla Torres, Senior Human Rights Counsel, Center for Reproductive Rights, said: 

“For so many people in the U.S., including single people and LGBTQ+ couples, access to fertility health care is essential to building their families, yet without insurance coverage it is out of reach for most. With this bill, Connecticut is one step closer to making sure everyone can get the affordable fertility care they need to build the families they want. We appreciate Connecticut lawmakers for coming together to pass this bi-partisan bill. At the same time, we recognize that there are more fertility health care gaps to fill and recommit ourselves to advocating for coverage under Connecticut’s’ HUSKY Health program. We all deserve the right to make decisions about our bodies and to access the health care we need without discrimination.”  

Fertility Access Connecticut (FACT) is led by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England and includes Equality Connecticut, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Illume Fertility, the National Health Law Program, Northeastern University School of Law, AllPaths Family Building, Reproductive Equity Now, and others.