So back in the day when we were beginning wading through the infertility world, I pulled a major Susann.
I love my job. I really love it. What I don't love is it's coverage for infertility treatments. For a huge media conglomerate, it is just stinky.
The average IUI with injectibles runs from $5,000-$8,000. The average IVF can cost up to $20,000. PER CYCLE. There's no insurance mandate to cover fertility treatments. I do get it. But it stinks when you want to build a family and the maximum lifetime coverage to do so (which mine is) is $4,000. Total. That barely covered the medicines on one IUI. Many plans cover absolutely nothing.
Of the dozens of choices available to federal families, only two have any type of infertility coverage.
Our military families wounded in action don't have the ability or coverage to use reproductive technology to build their families.
So that means we, and so many other families out there are spending exorbinate amounts of money to build their families. All for the HOPE that something works.
We were lucky. My odds were better than many others. Other families spend tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for basically the possibility of winning the World Series of Poker. I realize this is a choice, but I also realize that it is nice to actually have a choice, rather than have one predetermined response given to you.
If wounded warriors ability to build a family is impacted by a wound received in theatre, their IUI or IVF treatment isn't covered.
Thought, hell... I live in DC... there's got to be SOMETHING out there that's talking about this. Supporting women and families. Advocating for better access to care. Helping people navigate the process and connecting the infertility community.
So I found RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. I participated in one of their blogger challenges back in the day, and then picked up the phone, called the President, and said "I'm a lobbyist, how can I help."
And Barb let me. She welcomed me. She appreciated my experience in dealing with military families and defense health issues. She let me connect her with wounded warriors and policymakers.
Fast forward to today. About a month ago, I was asked by leadership and board of RESOLVE to join their Public Policy Working Group. We're charged with driving some of the strategic goals of RESOLVE's approach to public policy, to keep our eyes on what's happening now and what could happen.
I'm proud.
I'm doing something about it.
