SPONSOR: Murray
This bill creates the "Missouri Family Building and Fertility Access Act" and requires the Department of Health and Senior Services(DHSS) to establish, subject to appropriation, a program known as the "Infertility Access Program" to improve access to fertility treatment in the state.
The program is tasked with:
(1) Providing travel assistance, lodging stipends, or telehealth subsidies for individuals in rural or medically underserved areas seeking diagnosis or treatment at certified fertility clinics who would otherwise be unable to access such services;
(2) Supporting telemedicine infrastructure for fertility specialists serving shortage areas designated by the Department; and
(3) Conducting community outreach and education on infertility care and available resources.
The bill permits DHSS to contract with local health agencies or nonprofit organizations to administer the program.
The bill additionally creates the "Infertility Access Fund".
This bill requires DHSS, in coordination with the Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI), to produce a report every two years on access to fertility treatment and outcomes. The bill specifies what must be included in the report, and requires its submission to the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President Pro Tem of the Senate, as well as its publication online.
The bill also requires each health carrier offering coverage of fertility treatment to publish a plain-language summary of its coverage on its publicly accessible website, and submit to DHSS and DCI an annual utilization report. The bill specifies what information must be included in the report, as well as its required date of submission.
The bill authorizes DCI to issue administrative orders or penalties as authorized under current law for failure to comply with reporting or publication requirements under the provisions of this bill.
Statutes affected: