Colorado U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet on Monday urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cover fertility services in health plans. 

“Infertility impacts millions of Americans seeking to begin or expand their families,” the duo said in their letter to CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Yet, due to the high cost, these services remain out of reach for too many American families.” wrote Hickenlooper and Bennet.

The senators said CMS should designate Assisted Reproductive Technology services as a federal essential health benefit, thereby allowing Americans on public health plans to qualify for coverage.

“While individual states can make determinations through their benchmark plans regarding the specific scope of coverage, clarifying ART services as a federal Essential Health Benefit will cover every family no matter where they live, allowing them to start their families,” they said. 

The senators noted that coverage for In vitro fertilization varies across the country, with several states not requiring insurance companies to cover fertility services at all. The out-of-pocket costs for IVF and other fertility services can range from $15,000 to $25,000 dollars, they said, adding that’s an exorbitant cost.

They also noted the 2020 Colorado Building Families Act, which requires that health benefit plans issued or renewed in the state on or after Jan. 1, 2022 to cover diagnosis of infertility treatment and services. 

But, the law only extends coverage to Coloradans on large-group health plans, not only on small-group or individual health plans.

Hickenlooper and Bennet said their proposal would close that gap.