According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “fertility preservation is the process of saving or protecting, eggs, sperm, or reproductive tissue so that a person can use them to have biological children in the future. People with certain diseases, disorders, and life events that affect fertility may benefit from fertility preservation. This can include people who are about to be treated for cancer or an autoimmune disease or have a genetic disease that affects future fertility.” Despite the acknowledgment that lifesaving cancer treatments can compromise fertility, cancer patients in Massachusetts do not universally have health insurance coverage of fertility preservation services.

WHAT THIS BILL DOES

• SB598 and HB1041: An Act relative to Preserving Fertility, would provide health insurance coverage for standard fertility preservation services when a patient has a diagnosed medical or genetic condition, such as cancer that may directly or indirectly cause impairment of fertility by affecting reproductive organs or processes.
• Standard fertility preservation services include procedures or treatment to preserve fertility as recommended by a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist, or another physician, and this recommendation is made in accordance with current medical practices and professional guidelines published by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, or other reputable professional organizations.

WHY THIS MATTERS 

• Cancer patients undergoing certain types of cancer treatments including radiation, chemotherapy, or surgical removal of the uterus have an increased risk of becoming infertile as a result of their treatment.
• Massachusetts already has a state law in place mandating coverage for fertility treatment including In-vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility preservation treatments (FPT) for individuals with a diagnosis of infertility. However, these benefits are not sufficient for most people who have a medical need for fertility preservation, including cancer patients.
• Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is challenging enough for younger patients. Facing high out-of-pocket costs or forgoing fertility preservation procedures altogether creates added stress and burdens for these patients.
• Without comprehensive insurance coverage for FPT, some patients opt for a less effective treatment protocol in order to protect their future fertility.