Aetna has finalized a landmark nationwide settlement to provide equal In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) access for same-sex couples, effectively ending the “Queer Tax” in healthcare.
Aetna will no longer require same-sex couples to self-fund expensive IUI cycles to “prove” infertility—a requirement that previously cost LGBTQ+ members tens of thousands of dollars more than heterosexual peers.
Using the ASRM definition of infertility, Aetna now grants immediate access to fertility benefits regardless of sexual orientation or partner status.
A $2 million reimbursement fund has been established for members nationwide who were previously denied coverage or forced to pay out-of-pocket.
Covering 2.8 million members, this is the first national settlement of its kind.
It shifts IVF from a “heterosexual-only” benefit to a universal medical right, setting a precedent that is expected to force other major insurers to modernize their policies.
