Drew Dixon
A proposed measure to allow Florida’s employee insurance to provide fertility preservation for certain workers on the state payroll undergoing cancer treatment is ready for its third and final committee stop.
The House Budget Committee reviewed a bill that “Requires DMS (Department of Management Services) under state group insurance program to provide coverage of medically necessary expenses relating to standard fertility preservation services for specified policies.”
The committee approved the bill (HB 677) after the sponsor, Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy, explained that fertility preservation is becoming increasingly expensive. The measure would be for state employees only. But the bill is aimed at those employees who have exceptional challenges and would include storage of sperm and eggs.
“It will provide state-covered insurance for employees who are undergoing medical treatment for cancer, specifically undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, to have egg and sperm preservation for up to three years,” Trabulsy said.
House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa, the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, asked Trabulsy if the measure could be expanded to cover other conditions that could get fertility preservation.
“I know that there are other diseases, for example Sickle Cell, that can impact a person’s fertility. Have you considered, or would you consider such a bill that would cover those?” Driskell said.
Trabulsy didn’t rule out any additions later on. But she said just getting the measure through both chambers of the Legislature and moving it to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration is a challenge in itself.
“I think this year, we’re going to take one bite out of the apple,” noting the fiscal commitment from the state will be about $813,000, Trabulsy said.
“But I think that it is important that we absolutely look at other types of diseases, that we could preserve fertilization because of the negative consequences of the medications that might be taken or just because it is the right thing to do.”
The committee approval was unanimous.
There’s still a similar bill that’s going through Senate review. That chamber is looking at SB 924, sponsored by Sen. Alexis Calatayud, a Miami-Dade Republican.
