RESOLVE’s 2012 Advocacy Year End Update

Posted by: Barbara Collura at December 18, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation

access [ˈæksɛs]
noun; the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of something

RESOLVE’s 2012 Advocacy efforts can be summed up in one word this year: Access. RESOLVE and our nationwide network of advocates moved mountains this year to protect access and to increase access to many types of family building options, including IVF, adoption, surrogacy and egg donation.

RESOLVE staff and supporters at the Viriginia Personhood bill hearing.

Advocacy Day 2012

U.S. Representative Lewis, Barbara Collura and others at the 2012 Advocacy Day.

Living with infertility is hard enough. Fighting for your right to access medical treatment or speaking up to save the adoption tax credit is not always easy. However, the infertility community rose to the challenge and spoke with one voice louder than ever before.

The good news:

More advocates than ever before have joined the movement to help people living with infertility protect and increase access to all family building options.
Because of our efforts together with our partners, IVF remains legal in 24 states where Personhood has been introduced, saving the IVF medical treatment for 3.5 million Americans living with infertility.

The not-so-good news:

Despite our efforts, as of today, the future of the Family Act (IVF Tax Credit) is unknown. We are still working hard on Capitol Hill to ensure that Congress understands the importance of this bill and its impact on thousands of people who need IVF to build their family.
The Personhood movement is not going away.
Legislators at the state level continue to put forth legislation detrimental to the infertility community. Many of these lawmakers simply do not understand the disease of infertility.
The Essential Health Benefits process is complicated and some of the infertility state insurance mandates are in jeopardy as states determine the benchmark essential health benefits plan for their state.

What you can do:

Join us. We need everyone living with infertility to help our advocacy efforts. Every voice matters.
Stay updated. RESOLVE will continue to lead the infertility community on policy and legislative issues.
Act. There are so many ways you can take action and help protect and increase access to family building options. Consider volunteering or donating to RESOLVE – our collective resources are needed to meet the challenges ahead.

Thank you to everyone who was part of our advocacy efforts in 2012. Your voice made a difference.