SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois Senate Democrats hope to pass several plans this spring to expand access to infertility treatment. 

Sponsors told reporters Wednesday that medical treatments for infertility have become increasingly expensive. Sen. Natalie Toro (D-Chicago) said insurance companies have prevented many women from accessing necessary care to start or grow a family.

"I have witnessed many women, including myself and those close to me, experience profound anxiety about running out of time to start a family," Toro said. "I've had heavy conversations expressing our dreams about having a family while facing financial barriers that limit our ability to preserve our fertility."

Toro stressed that her friends and loved ones needed to decide between paying off student loans or going into debt in order to afford fertility preservation treatment to ensure they could have a family in the future. Many people have paid up to $15,000 for the procedure without insurance coverage.

Toro's proposal could require insurance companies to cover expenses for standard fertility preservation and follow-up services for any interested patient even if they haven't been diagnosed with infertility.

Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) explained she was one of many women of color who could not afford the care to diagnose or treat infertility. Castro said it became a very expensive process for her and her husband. 

"Diagnosing and treating infertility is an important aspect of reproductive health care that is often overlooked," said Castro. "Whether it is IVF, embryo transfer, or another type of treatment, it can be very difficult to access these treatments without a diagnosis even for people who receive a physician's recommendation for treatment."

Castro's legislation would require companies with more than 25 employees to provide insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of infertility in women. Senate Bill 2572 could also require businesses to provide insurance coverage for injectable medicines that improve glucose levels and weight loss for people diagnosed with pre-diabetes, gestational diabetes or obesity.

"I hope removing these financial barriers for treatment of diabetes, obesity and infertility will help men and women across Illinois live healthier lives," Castro said.

Another plan could require insurance companies to cover IVF, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer or zygote intrafallopian tube transfer if a physician recommends the treatment based on certain findings. The proposal is personal for Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) who had a daughter through in vitro fertilization. 

Hastings explained that a constituent faced a serious problem after she met with her doctor and planned for an IVF procedure. The woman called her insurance company to confirm the procedure was covered, but the insurer told her she had to go through an IUD procedure first. 

"In my mind, it baffles me. Who is an insurance company to tell a middle age woman who wants to have a child that she can't go directly to the treatment," Hastings asked. "Is it because of cost? Is it because of policy, or is it because of something else? They should listen to the doctor, especially when it comes to that."

Hastings hopes his plan could help many women in Illinois and set an example for other states to follow. All three bills have been assigned to the Senate Insurance Committee.

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