NYS Senate passes bill on insurance coverage for egg freezing services

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- New York State Senators have left Albany to go back to their districts. But before doing so, they passed a bill to make egg freezing and storage more accessible for those who want it. 

"Right now, so many folks don’t have the ability to or they have to give up their dream of having kids or starting a family," said Senator Michelle Hinchey.

According to Senator Hinchey, egg freezing can cost thousands of dollars with monthly storage fees on top of that. Her bill would require commercial insurance to cover both, something she says will make the technology more equitable. 

"You shouldn’t have to make that choice, especially if the technology exists and people with the means don’t have to make that choice."

But according to the New York Health Plan Association, the legislation isn’t need. Its president stated, “New York law currently has generous insurance coverage of fertility treatments for New Yorkers, including requirements for coverage of preservation services...when medical treatment may affect an individual’s reproductive organs and directly or indirectly cause iatrogenic infertility.”

This bill has yet to be passed by the state assembly. The legislative session will end on June 17th for Assemblymembers.