Women's Health Legislation
The latest news on laws that impact women's health — stay informed on what's happening now.
Family Building FEHB Fairness Act Veteran Families Health Services Act Protect IVF Act Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act
# SummaryThis topic focuses on efforts to protect and expand access to assisted reproductive technology across the United States. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) refers to medical procedures that help people conceive, with in vitro fertilization (IVF) being one of the most common methods. IVF involves combining sperm and eggs in a laboratory to create embryos, which are then transferred into the uterus.
The main goal is to ensure that more Americans can access these fertility treatments, regardless of where they live or their financial situation. Currently, access to ART can vary significantly by location and affordability remains a barrier for many people seeking to start or expand their families. Advocates want to remove these obstacles through policy changes, insurance coverage improvements, and increased funding.
Protecting nationwide access means working to maintain existing programs and services while also expanding them to reach more people who need fertility assistance. This includes supporting research, removing legal barriers, and making treatments more affordable and widely available across all states.
NIH IMPROVE Act NIH Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone Act
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Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2026
This bill would provide funding through grants to organizations that help people travel and access abortion services. The grants would cover practical support expenses related to people obtaining abortions.
The legislation aims to remove financial and logistical barriers that prevent individuals from accessing abortion care, particularly those who may need to travel to reach a provider due to restrictions in their home state or region.
Requires health benefits coverage of assisted reproductive technology to prevent transmission of monogenic disorder.
Overview: This New Jersey legislative bill requires health insurance plans to cover assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments, including procedures to prevent the transmission of serious genetic disorders to offspring.
Coverage Requirements: Insurance contracts must cover medically necessary infertility treatments as determined by a physician, following American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines. Coverage includes diagnosis, medications, surgery, in vitro fertilization (IVF), genetic testing, and up to four egg retrievals with unlimited embryo transfers. The costs of egg and sperm donors are also covered. Insurance companies cannot deny coverage based on age or relationship status, and the coverage applies equally to same-sex couples and single individuals.
Expanded Definition of Infertility: The bill expands the definition of infertility to include cases where individuals are carriers of serious genetic disorders and need ART to prevent passing those conditions to their children. This represents a significant addition to traditional infertility coverage, addressing reproductive needs beyond the inability to conceive.
Standard Terms: The same copayments, deductibles, and benefit limits that apply to other medical procedures apply to infertility treatment. Religious employers may request exemptions from these coverage requirements under certain circumstances.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.
What This Resolution Does
California Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 198 declares May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. This is a symbolic measure designed to draw attention to mental health issues affecting pregnant women and new mothers.
The Problem
Maternal mental health disorders are surprisingly common but frequently go undiagnosed and untreated. Depression and anxiety affect about one in five women during or after pregnancy, and in California specifically, one in three mothers experiences pregnancy-related depression or anxiety. Despite these high rates, fewer than 15 percent of cases receive treatment due to a shortage of screening providers and various barriers within the healthcare system, as well as stigma and lack of awareness.
Why It Matters
When maternal mental health issues go untreated, the consequences are serious for both mothers and their children. These disorders can lead to poor birth outcomes, weaken the bond between mother and infant, cause developmental problems in children, and create significant medical and economic costs. The resolution aims to increase understanding of these conditions and encourage women and families to recognize the signs and seek help.
Abortion Medication Access on College Campuses
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Bill Purpose: This legislation aims to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance reproductive health care services specifically for people with disabilities.
Main Focus: The bill addresses gaps in reproductive health care access and quality for individuals with disabilities. It seeks to ensure that people with disabilities receive appropriate, accessible reproductive health services comparable to what is available to the general population.
Key Goal: By modifying the Public Health Service Act, the bill intends to improve how reproductive health care is delivered to this underserved population, likely through increased funding, training requirements, accessibility standards, or other supportive measures to remove barriers to care.
Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act
# SummaryThis bill proposes changes to the Public Health Service Act aimed at improving reproductive health care specifically for people with disabilities. The legislation recognizes that individuals with disabilities often face barriers in accessing quality reproductive health services and seeks to address these gaps in care.
The bill focuses on ensuring that people with disabilities receive equitable, accessible reproductive health services. This includes addressing physical accessibility in clinics, providing information in formats that accommodate different disabilities, and training healthcare providers to work effectively with disabled patients. The goal is to remove obstacles that prevent individuals with disabilities from receiving the same reproductive health care options available to others.
By amending the Public Health Service Act, the legislation aims to strengthen the healthcare system's ability to serve this population better, recognizing their unique needs and rights to comprehensive reproductive health care.
Supporting the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2026, as "Black Maternal Health Week", founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA), to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United State
Congress is supporting the official designation of April 11-17, 2026, as "Black Maternal Health Week." This week was founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) to raise awareness about serious health problems affecting Black women and pregnant people in the United States.
The main focus of this week is to address the maternal health crisis and work toward reducing the number of deaths and serious health complications among Black mothers and pregnant individuals. By creating a designated national week, the goal is to draw greater attention to these important public health issues and encourage action to improve outcomes for Black women and birthing people.
Public health: public postsecondary education: student health centers: abortion by medication techniques.
Assembly Bill 2540, introduced in the California Legislature in February 2026, is legislation focused on protecting reproductive rights in the state. The bill expresses the Legislature's intent to strengthen and safeguard individuals' fundamental right to make personal decisions about their own reproductive health care.
California already has a law called the Reproductive Privacy Act that recognizes reproductive privacy as a fundamental right. This act covers a wide range of reproductive health matters, including pregnancy care (prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum), contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility treatment. AB 2540 builds on this existing protection by reaffirming the state's commitment to these reproductive rights.
The bill is a statement of legislative intent rather than a substantive law change itself. It signals that lawmakers plan to introduce additional legislation designed to further protect and affirm individuals' rights to make their own reproductive health decisions without government interference.