The Family Act

History

(Taken from the Resolve Website)

In May 2011 a bill to create a tax credit for the out-of-pocket costs associated with infertility medical treatment was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Lewis (GA). Aptly named the Family Act of 2011, S 965/HR 3522 could have potentially helped thousands of people seeking medical treatment that otherwise would be out of reach for them. RESOLVE supported this bill and required help from its followers and members to get this bill passed and made into a law. The bill died in the 112th Congress and must be re-introduced in the 113th Congress.  Check back on the Resolve Website for updates on the Family Act in the 113th Congress.

Current Status

The 2013 Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. on May 8th will highlight the reintroduction of this bill as one of two major issues this year.  For more information about attending this year's Advocacy Day, please see previous blog posts from this week on inconceivablestory.blogspot.com, or visit the Resolve Website's Advocacy Day webpage.

More Information Regarding The Family Act

(From the Resolve Website)

About the Family Act - S 965/HR 3522

Learn the details about this past pending legislation.

Current Bill status

Find out what's going on with this bill.

Why Does RESOLVE Support this Bill?
The Family Act of 2011 allows thousands that would otherwise not be able to access care to receive the medical treatment they need to build their family.

Infertility Tax Credit FAQs
Get answers to frequently asked questions about this pending legislation.

Family Act in the News
Read the latest articles about the Family Act.

Become a Grassroots Advocate
Every year we are fighting anti-family bills in more and more states. We need you today. We need you to help build our state advocacy infrastructure so that we are prepared to fight back in all 50 states at any time.

My thoughts

I am personally very excited about the Family Act, and if it gets re-introduced as a bill in the 113th Congress, I'll be happy to support it, advocate for it, promote it, and even lobby for it in anyway I can.  I know many of my readers and hundreds, probably even thousands more out there do not have health insurance coverage for IVF and other ART treatments.  So many of us could benefit from this opportunity to make our dreams of creating or growing our families become a reality.  I urge everyone affected by infertility to support the Family Act, especially if it is re-introduced as a bill this year.  Together we are stronger, so please, let's join together to support this Act!

Advocacy Day Issues: Infertility Tax Credit, or "The Family Act"

This is the fifth post in my week-long commitment to promoting infertility awareness after having missed my opportunity to do so during NIAW (National Infertility Awareness Week), which took place last week, April 21-27, 2013.  Today, I am posting information about the two major issues for which those who attending Advocacy Day in D.C. on May 8th can lobby.

There are two major issues on the table for this year's Advocacy Day on May 8, 2013.  See below for a brief description of each issue, as taken from the Resolve Advocacy Day Website:

Issues:

"We will be on Capitol Hill talking about the scope of infertility in this country and the physical, emotional, and financial impact of this disease. We will be asking Congress to support legislation that will allow more people to afford IVF treatments, and legislation that will allow wounded vets to seek IVF treatment to build their family."

Infertility Tax Credit

In the 112th Congress (2011-2012) a bill to create a tax credit for the out-of-pocket costs associated with IVF and fertility preservation for cancer and other diseases was introduced in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Aptly named the Family Act, the bill will potentially help thousands of people seek medical treatment that otherwise would be out of reach for them. RESOLVE is working hard to get this bill introduced in the 113th Congress and it will be a major focus of Advocacy Day 2013. Read more here about the Family Act. Learn the latest information on these issues by becoming a Facebook fan of the Family Act of 2011 Page.

Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act

On January 24, 2013 U.S. Senator Patty Murray introduced the Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvement Act S 131.  A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to severely wounded, ill, or injured veterans and their spouses, and for other purposes. This bill will provide access to fertility treatment for seriously injured veterans and their spouses, adoption assistance, permanent authority for VA to provide child care, and other elements. Read more here about the Women's Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act.

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Personally, while I find the Women Veterans and Other Healthcare Improvements Act important, it does not affect me or improve my own immediate situation.  I support it, and am happy to promote the issue, but it does not get me quite as fired up as movements that might benefit the majority of couples and individuals struggling from infertility, the crushing costs associated with it, and the unfair policies of health insurance companies that vary from state to state. 

On the other hand, The Family Act (the tax credit for everyone paying for infertility treatment out of pocket), boy does that ever affect me!  What a fair and valuable tax credit this would be, making IVF and other ART options attainable to those of us who can't consider adoption as a resolution to our infertility journey (for which there is a tax refundable credit...and a sizable one at that!).  I am so excited about this bill that I'll be posting another blog post dedicated to it alone tomorrow.  Oh, how I wish I could go to the capital next week and lobby for this bill!