Testimony Opposing IVF Insurance Mandate (S.F. 1961)

Chair Wiklund and members of the committee,

My name is Maggee Hangge, and I am the assistant director for family policy at the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota.

We are speaking today in opposition to S.F. 1961. Please vote no.

When a couple is eager to start their family, but month after month sees a pregnancy test, the reality is devastating. They carry a heavy burden, and we have great compassion for their circumstances.

It is out of that compassion that we are called to help these couples with the best tools possible. That is not through pushing expensive and ethically questionable treatments like IVF, but rather by finding and treating the root cause of infertility through restorative reproductive medicine.

Infertility is not a disease in and of itself. It is a symptom of an underlying condition. In many cases, by getting to the root cause and treating the underlying symptoms, pregnancy can be achieved.

But when couples are pushed towards IVF and related technologies without fully understanding why the infertility is present, IVF may fail. Many couples endure three or more rounds of IVF before achieving a successful pregnancy—if they are that lucky. Nationally, 37 percent of assisted reproductive technology cycles resulted in a live birth.[1] Put the other way, 63 percent of all cycles fail.

The high cost of these cycles, ranging from $15,000 to $30,000 on average, would certainly impact healthcare premiums. We are grateful that Sen. Maye Quade accepted a religious exemption so that organizations who disagree do not have to offer this in their health plans. Still, all Minnesota taxpayers will be forced to fund this unethical and often ineffective practice at great expense.  

But we do not have to spend this kind of money, especially when there are cheaper alternatives with better results. Some studies have found that pursuing restorative reproductive medicine yields a 60 percent success rate. By correcting hormonal imbalances, unblocking a fallopian tube, or removing endometriosis tissue, couples can restore their fertility and go onto have additional children naturally.

If the issue is left undetected and they happen to get around it through IVF, that couple may have to again employ IVF to continue growing their family, or they may end up with more embryos than they anticipated, leaving them with another ethical dilemma—do they leave their children on ice, discard them, or continue trying to implant them, if they can afford that.

Couples deserve real answers. Supporting SF4166, which would increase educational resources around RRM for patients and providers is a better step forward.

Please vote no on this mandate. Thank you.

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/art/php/national-summary/index.html