Connecticut House Bill HB05446

Connecticut 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/10/22
• Refer: 3/10/22

Caption

An Act Concerning Equal Coverage For Medically Necessary Infertility Treatments.

Impact

If enacted, HB 05446 will significantly affect existing state laws related to health insurance and infertility treatment. It will require insurance providers to include specific infertility treatments within their standard policies, thus enhancing access to these services for individuals and couples facing challenges with reproduction. The bill's provisions also delineate limitations on coverage, permitting certain caps on the number of cycles for treatments like in-vitro fertilization, potentially reflecting the balancing act of cost containment while increasing access to care.

Summary

House Bill 05446 is a legislative proposal aimed at ensuring that health insurance policies provide equal coverage for medically necessary infertility treatments. This bill mandates that individual health insurance policies issued in the state cover a wide range of infertility-related medical expenses, including evaluation and treatment methods such as in-vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination. The coverage stipulated by this bill is intended to be comprehensive, addressing various forms of infertility and ensuring that these medical needs are met appropriately.

Contention

One of the notable points of contention surrounding HB 05446 involves the religious exemptions it offers to employers. The bill allows certain religious employers to issue health insurance policies that exclude infertility treatments if they conflict with their religious beliefs. This provision has sparked debate regarding the balance between individual rights to medical care and employer's religious liberties. Opponents argue that such exemptions could lead to discrimination in healthcare access for individuals seeking necessary medical treatments based on their reproductive health needs.