Trump pledges universal coverage for IVF treatment

Former President Trump pledged during a campaign rally in Michigan Thursday that if he wins a second term, he would mandate free in vitro fertilization treatment for women. 

“I’m announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” Trump told the crowd at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan. “Because we want more babies, to put it nicely.”

IVF treatments are notoriously expensive and can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single round. Many women require multiple rounds, and there is no guarantee of success.

“And for the same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct major newborn expenses from their taxes,” Trump said.  

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Former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, arrives to speak at a campaign event at Alro Steel Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Potterville, Mich. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump’s announcement, which was short on details, comes after the Republican nominee has faced intense scrutiny from Democrats for his role in appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, sending the issue of abortion back to the states. 

Trump has tried to present himself as moderate on the issue, going as far as declaring himself “very strong on women’s reproductive rights.”

Embryo tanks sit in the IVF lab of a women’s hospital in Boston. Trump vowed that if he wins a second term, the government or insurance will pay for IVF treatment.  (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe)

In an interview with NBC before Thursday’s rally, Trump signaled support for changing Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which limits the procedure before many women even know they are pregnant.

Trump, in the interview, did not explicitly say how he plans to vote on the ballot measure when he casts his vote this fall. But he repeated his past criticism that the measure, signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, is too restrictive.

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“I think the six weeks is too short. It has to be more time,” he said. “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.”

Trump had previously called DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill a “terrible mistake.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.