On March 11, 2024, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that in the next coming weeks, it will be able to provide in vitro fertilization (IVF) to eligible unmarried Veterans and eligible Veterans in same-sex marriages. VA will also be able to provide IVF to Veterans using donated sperm or eggs.
Under existing law, all Veterans who receive IVF from VA must be unable to procreate without the use of fertility treatment due to a health condition caused by their military service. Before today’s expansion of care, VA was only allowed to provide IVF services to Veterans who were legally married and – within that relationship – able to produce their own gametes (both eggs and sperm). Under this expansion of care, VA will offer IVF benefits to qualifying Veterans regardless of marital status and allow the use of donor eggs, sperm, and embryos.
Veterans enrolled in VA health care are eligible for a wide range of reproductive health services such as maternity care, gynecology care, access to contraceptives, cervical cancer screening, menopause care, as well as, fertility evaluation, management and select treatment for fertility conditions.
VA can also cover up to $2000 of adoption expenses for Veterans who have a service-connected disability that causes infertility. Under current law, however, VA is not authorized to cover surrogacy for any Veterans.