Potterville (United States) (AFP) –
Republican candidate Donald Trump promised Thursday that if he wins the November presidential election he will have the government or insurance companies cover the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for “all Americans who need them,” although he did not specify how it would be financed.
“Today I’m announcing in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay – or your insurance company will be required to cover – all costs associated with IVF treatment,” the billionaire said at a rally in Michigan.
Reproductive rights have been one of Trump’s key weak points since the Supreme Court, with support from conservative judges appointed during his first term, eliminated federal protections for abortion access in 2022.
The issue gained further notoriety after an Alabama court ruled in February that frozen embryos created using the technique should be considered “children.” Trump said he supported IVF after several clinics paused their services following the decision.
“We want more babies,” the tycoon said Thursday, without offering details on how his proposal would work, including where the money would come from.
But when the announcement was made in an interview with NBC before the event, Trump said one option would be for insurance companies to pick up the tab “at the direction of the government.”
Few Americans have insurance plans that cover fertility treatments, with costs topping $20,000 for a single 18-month round of IVF techniques.
The former president suggested that under his second term, new parents will be able to deduct “the main expenses of the newborn” from their taxes, proclaiming himself “in favor of the family.”
Trump and his electoral rival, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, are campaigning in swing states this week as they embark on the most intense phase of the race for the White House.
Harris, at a rally in Georgia, warned supporters that Trump would sign a national abortion ban if he won.
