Drew Dixon
A second Senate panel has approved a measure that would preserve sperm and eggs of state employees undergoing cancer and radiation treatment.
The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee OK’d the bill (SB 924) that would begin requiring the Department of Management Services “to provide coverage of certain fertility preservation services for state group health insurance plan policies.”
Sen. Alexis Calatayud, a Miami Republican, is sponsoring the bill in the Senate and spoke to the committee Monday. She emphasized that the bill, if approved, would focus on a small minority of state employees.
Sen. Jim Boyd, a Bradenton Republican, asked Calatayud if such a provision could become costly for the state.
Calatayud said there are about 350,000 people covered by (state employee) insurance, and that probably less than 2% of all those workers would even qualify for the fertility storage provision that requires a person to be undergoing cancer treatment. “Estimated cost for egg and sperm storage is about $1,000 per year,” she said.
The go-ahead from the Senate panel comes nearly two weeks after a companion bill from Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy (HB 677) received tentative approval from its second panel, the House Budget Committee.
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 earlier this month.
The House bill still has to go before the Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee.
The Senate measure is heading to the Appropriations Committee.
“I think our Legislature for quite a period of time has been a champion of families and if we can create a pathway for more and more people who might otherwise have that door closed, to have that remain slightly open, it is something beautiful,” Calatayud said.
2 comments
EARL PITTS AMERICAN
March 31, 2025 at 7:54 pm
This bill sounds reasonable but can we include Sage Patriots such as myself, EARL PITTS AMERICAN?
I, EARL PITTS AMERICAN, may not meet the criteria laid out in the bill.
HOWEVER:
There is already a great demand for my, EARL PITTS AMERICAN’s, seed in order to bring more Sage Patriots, like myself, into the world.
I will support this bill if we carve out some special consideration for the several gallons of Priceless Earl seed which I’ve carefully frozen at home in my Fridgidare for the future of this, our Great Nation.
I envision a day when Earl seed will take the place of Bit Coin.
Thank you,
EARL PITTS AMERICAN
Paul Passarelli
April 1, 2025 at 8:22 am
My problem with this legislation, is that while pr purports to provide coverage worth $1,000/year per covered employee, and might impact 2% of 350,000 employees, it will likely cost $1,000/year per employee and be charged to all 350,000 of them!
That, and the desire to preserve the germ line of individual who have demonstrated a propensity for cancer, is only preserving that cancer propensity in the next generation. Not everyone was meant to reproduce.
Sorry, bad things happen to good people. This is not one that should be remedied at some unpredictably increased cost to society!