Staten Island lawmaker working to expand IVF insurance coverage in New York

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New Yorkers struggling to start a family could soon get some serious help from one of Staten Island’s state legislators.

State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn) has introduced legislation to expand insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for millions of state residents.

“I always look at things through the lens of what we can do to make sure that families, especially young families, want to stay here and plant their seeds and grow their roots in New York State. I think this would be a really good way to do that,” the senator said.

Under New York’s current IVF laws, which were spearheaded by Scarcella-Spanton’s predecessor, Diane Savino, insurance companies are only required to provide coverage for three cycles of IVF treatment.

“I have countless friends who have gone through this. It’s so much heartache, and then on top off the heartache, they’re so desperate to create a family that sometimes they’re putting themselves tens of thousands of dollars in debt if their insurance isn’t going to cover this,” said Scarcella-Spanton.

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