Trump Floats Coverage Mandate for I.V.F. Treatment
New York TimesSEP 13 2024
Former Pres. Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, Thursday told multiple media outlets and a rally he would ensure the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) would be covered if he's reelected this fall.
Speaking to a crowd in Potterville, Mich., Trump said under his administration the government or insurance companies would pay for "all costs associated with IVF treatment" because "we want more babies, to put it nicely."
Trump didn't say how his IVF plan would be funded, but he added that his administration would also allow new parents to deduct "major newborn expenses" from their taxes.
Trump continues to prove he's a maverick who's willing to buck the party line to make lives better for average Americans. His support of coverage for IVF — like his opposition to a federal abortion ban — shows Trump isn't beholden to the Republican elites and plans to be a champion for women's rights if he's reelected.
If Trump truly believes in covering IVF, he's not just moving toward the political middle, he's going progressive. His administration didn't do anything even close to this during his first term. But considering this announcement was presented without any details over funding or navigating state laws related to IVF, it was probably made off the cuff in an attempt to pander to women voters.
This is a slap in the face to the pro-life movement, which has diligently supported Trump throughout all his presidential campaigns. Maintaining the legality of IVF — considering many embryos are destroyed to support this process — is a leftist policy, and financially supporting it is way out left. Trump must rethink this position.