TRENTON, NJ — A bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to include infertility treatments for eligible women in New Jersey has passed a key legislative step. Sponsored by Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-30), the measure cleared the Assembly Health Committee this week and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee.
The legislation would require Medicaid to cover infertility-related treatments and medications for women between the ages of 21 and 44. Coverage would depend on the availability of federal matching funds. If approved, New Jersey would follow the example set by New York State, where similar benefits are already available under Medicaid.
Assemblyman Schnall spoke before the committee, stressing that infertility is not just a medical condition, but also a deeply personal and emotional struggle — especially for low-income women.
“Infertility is a deeply painful and often isolating experience,” Schnall said. “For women on Medicaid, the lack of coverage has made treatment completely out of reach. This bill ensures that these women are no longer denied the hope of building a family simply because of their financial circumstances.”
The bill outlines specific medical services to be covered, including office visits, blood work, pelvic ultrasounds, and hysterosalpingograms — a type of X-ray used to examine the uterus and fallopian tubes. Eligible Medicaid recipients would be able to receive up to three infertility treatment cycles over their lifetime.
Schnall emphasized that reproductive care should not depend on income.
“As public servants, we have a responsibility to ensure that access to health care is not just a privilege for the few, but a right for all,” he said. “I thank the Health Committee for recognizing that infertility is a medical condition — not a luxury — and I urge my colleagues in the Assembly to pass this bill swiftly.”
The bill’s next stop is the Assembly Appropriations Committee. If it passes there, it will go to the full Assembly for a vote.
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