Reproductive leader California lags when it comes to infertility treatment coverage | Opinion

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For many families, an infertility diagnosis is not the largest barrier to becoming a parent. Sadly, the biggest barrier is cost. An average in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle in the U.S. costs between $15,000 to $20,000 — roughly the same as arthroscopic knee surgery.

The difference is that knee surgery is covered by insurance, while infertility treatment — in California, at least — is not, placing it out of reach for many who must pay out of pocket for this healthcare.

Today, 14 states have insurance coverage for infertility that includes IVF. Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have mandated infertility benefits since the 1980s. In the last six years, 12 states have expanded existing fertility coverage mandates to cover more people or more procedures.

So why is California — a state that prides itself on being a leader in reproductive freedom — so far behind other states, with multiple failed legislative attempts to mandate infertility coverage?

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