I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Thank you for your work to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility preservation medical services an Essential Health Benefit in Virginia's 2028 Benchmark Plan. I am a resident of Fairfax County since 1998, am a homeowner, active volunteer in my community, and a member of Floris United Methodist Church. My previous professional position was as the President/CEO of the nation's largest non-profit patient advocacy organization for people with infertility, which is based in McLean, VA. My husband and I struggled with infertility and eventually turned to inter-country adoption to build our family. I have talked to and met thousands of people across the country who need medical care to build their family but due to the high out-of-pocket costs, are shut out of this life-affirming medical treatment. I urge the Commission to support Virginia families by leading in this area and including IVF and fertility preservation as essential health benefits. The lack of adequate health insurance should not dictate who can and cannot be a parent in Virginia. We have access to world class care right here in our state, yet far too many Virginians can't access that care. And what about cancer patients who need to adhere to their cancer treatments but want to preserve their ability to have a family in the future? They don't have time to save the funds or raise the money; they need insurance coverage now. I am offering myself as a resource to the Commission and urge you to support this coverage. Thank you!

I support the positions of the Virginia Catholic Conference: I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Introduction: My name is Stephanie Louka, and I’m a 47-year-old emergency physician and a mother of three wonderful children living in Midlothian, Virginia. Personal Journey with IVF: My path to parenthood was not straightforward. We needed the assistance of IVF to conceive our first child, and without it, our family would not be complete. Financial Challenges: The cost of IVF was significant—over $20,000 out of pocket for our first cycle. We were fortunate enough to borrow money from family and eventually repay them. For our second child, we were lucky that our employer-provided insurance covered all the expenses, making it much more accessible. Broader Impact: As an emergency physician, I see patients every day who are striving to build their families in safe and effective ways. Unfortunately, insurance and financial barriers often stand in their way. Call to Action: I urge our legislators to consider policies that improve access to affordable fertility treatments, ensuring that all families have the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Hello, As a constituent in Virginia, I am asking that the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) plan for 2028 include infertility benefits like IVF. I have had two children through IVF after my spouse and I received an 'unexplained infertility' diagnosis. IVF was the only thing that worked for us. I tried hormone medication, several rounds of artificial insemination and we made it within 3 weeks of taking home an infant through adoption before that fell apart and we lost $20,000. We thought we would never be able to afford the process to have children after that loss. When my spouse learned that his new job offered generous infertility benefits, we were able to try IVF. After two miscarriages, I became pregnant with our first child. It felt miraculous and we are so grateful we were able to have him. My spouse changed jobs before we were ready to try for a second child and the price tag without benefits was too high for us. As I approached 39 years old, my workplace began offering some infertility benefits; just enough financial help for us to try. Thankfully, I became pregnant right away. Our children are 7.5 and 2.5 years old. Without IVF options, we would not have been able to have children and have the family we wanted. There are many others in our position who need help having children - something most people can do easily and for free. Please think of them and consider making IVF and related treatments available through the Essential Health Benefits plan. Thank you.

In July 2023, I was diagnosed with a rare type of non-viable pregnancy called a molar pregnancy. These occur when something goes wrong at fertilization, and can develop into cancer - which is what happened to me. I underwent 4 months of chemotherapy for Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) and had to be monitored for a year to ensure the cancer didn't return before we could try again to grow our family. We decided to undergo IVF to ensure I would not risk having another molar pregnancy. Unfortunately, neither of our jobs offered fertility coverage as part of their health benefits. We paid about $35,000 to undergo IVF, which was a financial challenge after the health and emotional challenges of the prior years. Fertility care coverage would have made a huge difference to our family. I am currently pregnant thanks to my IVF treatment, and although we are hoping to have a second child down the road we're unsure if it will be financially feasible. Please consider including IVF and fertility preservation as essential health benefits in the Essential Health Benefits plan for 2028.

Please include IVF and other fertility treatments in Virginia’s EHB. Without IVF, my husband and I would not have our beautiful baby boy. It breaks our hearts that other families are prevented from pursuing IVF because they rely on companies, rather than our government, to assist in the critical ability to grow families in Virginia.

Fertility coverage is healthcare for many even “healthy” individuals and families. There is no question this needs to be included to allow for families to be built no matter the circumstances. It is not fair. Do the right thing and include IVF coverage for all.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association strongly supports coverage of fertility care, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility preservation, in Virginia. Expanding coverage for these medically necessary treatments would help thousands of Virginians facing infertility. Neighboring states like Maryland and the District of Columbia already provide strong coverage for IVF and fertility preservation, and it’s time for Virginia to ensure its residents have access to the same standard of care. Including these benefits would align Virginia with national best practices and ensure that all Virginians have the opportunity to build the families of their dreams.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) expresses strong support for the coverage of IVF (in vitro fertilization) and fertility preservation. This coverage would expand vital care to those Virginians who require medical assistance to build their families, including those with cancer, certain menstrual or blood-related disorders, and other diseases or treatments that impair fertility. In covering IVF, Virginia would join a growing list of states that recognize the need to expand access to this critical family-building care.

• I align myself with the position of the Virginia Catholic Conference as articulated in their submission * I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am strongly opposed to requiring insurers to cover the costs of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Banking. First, conceiving and bearing children is not a right to which a couple is entitled, and therefore is a problem which must be addressed by any means possible. Second, in the case of a failure to conceive, as is often the case in many instances of a problem, there are legitimate and illegitimate ways to correct the problem. Third, I support insurance funding the costs of correcting medical problems so as to result in a child being born as a result of natural sexual intercourse into a family with loving and caring parents to support its growth and development. Fourth, I oppose laying on insurance companies and their customers the moral and financial burden of paying for the engineering and, as it were, the 'manufacturing' of human beings. Fifth, I especially oppose the common 'manufacturing' process of IVF as it is practiced, which involves the production of multiple human beings, all deserving of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", only to have most of them destroyed or set aside as 'spares' that will sooner or later be destroyed if 'surplus' to the manufacturing process.

Please find our letter of support regarding the addition of medically necessary fertility preservation coverage to the EHB-BP

There are many reasons Virginia should not require insurance companies to provide IVF and Embryo Banking, There are many Christians and persons of other faiths and persons who do not belong to any faith who are strongly opposed to having this coverage forced on them. Many of us have strong, certain religious beliefs that IVF is a very immoral, sinful act, and the Government would be violating our religious freedom if we have to participate and pay for health insurance for IVF and embryo banking. Infertile couples should be helped by helping them adopt or foster children and receive the new medical treatments to cure or make it possible to have children naturally, despite their infertility problems. Unborn children are precious children; they are not objects or things. Most children conceived by IVF are killed or frozen. Over one million IVF-conceived children are already living in frozen facilities and will never be born. This is inhuman, and IVF should be stopped and not be forced on the citizens of Virginia. Please do not violate the rights of children by being killed or frozen, and our religious freedom. Thank you, Paul B. haring Annandale, Virginia .

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

My religion, the Bible, 23 and Me, middle school science class, animal breeding science, human embryology, 1860 U.S. fertility studies and much, much more provide thart when the egg and sperm unite , all necessary elements for the development of the plant, animal or human to maturity are present. Nothing but food, air and care are necessary for full development, I(VF treats the embryo as disposable thus resulting in the killing of humans. This is immoral, illegal and contrary to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Please do not make me complicit in this evil by requiring me to contribute to the funding.

Hello, (1) Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cause the death of many embryonic, and unique, human lives. (2) I believe a new and unique human life is created at fertilization with its own distinct DNA, (3) Human embryos that are created by IVF and then frozen have a high chance of being intentionally destroyed or used for experimentation! (4) Mandating that these procedures be covered by insurance carriers means that a great many people will be forced to pay for acts that are against their religious beliefs--causing great anguish for these people who believe all human life is sacred. (5) This mandate would also increase the cost of insurance coverage for everyone --possibly causing more hardship for folks already struggling to care for their families (6) Forcing persons to participate--either directly or indirectly--would be an egregious attack on many persons' First Amendment right to freely practice their religious beliefs. Sincerely submitted, (Mrs.) Kathleen Martin, Hampton VA kathymartin@hotmail.com

I was shocked to learn that the Virginia Legistature has formed a co

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

My comments relate to two items under consideration – Infertility and Fertility Preservation. Some procedures that would be included in the proposed coverage also have high social and moral costs. Some entities, including the Catholic organizations could not cover IVF, embryo banking, or similar procedures in their health plans – due to the religious tenets or moral convictions that are at the core of their mission. Mandating coverage of these types of procedures would come at the cost of fundamental religious liberty and conscience rights – raising serious issues in relation to Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal and state constitutions. In his Signature Explanation accompanying the bill that authorized HIRC to consider coverage of infertility treatments, Governor Youngkin made a similar point. He stated, “I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.” Moreover, whether a conscience exemption is included or not, it is essential to recognize that although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. There are more than 1.5 million human embryonic children in freezers across the U.S., and 97 percent of embryonic children are destroyed. Mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Each of us began our life as a human embryo. Each embryo created through IVF is a genetically unique human being and our brother or sister in the human family. To the largely unregulated IVF industry, some lives are expendable as long as others survive. I urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would further this tragic social and moral cost and force others who deeply disagree with these practices to subsidize them. Religious liberty and conscience rights must be respected. Most importantly, every human life must be respected from the time of conception. End of Comments © 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia - House of Delegates Clerk's Office | Version 1.6.0

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected.

Infertility is a hard truth for couples who struggle with it. But IVF creates children and destroys the “extras” (or keeps them in a freezer). It also separates the unitive act of sexual intimacy in creating new life. Many children are awaiting adoption. Make the adoption process simple and not costly. It should not be so difficult for a married couple to adopt. Adopted children quickly become one’s own flesh and blood; bond as strong as one’s own offspring. We only need to have some courage and heart.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Thank you for your service. I know that issues of infertility are complex and incredibly important. IVF raises unique moral issues and questions, and some organizations, both for profit and nonprofit, that do a lot of good in our community and create a lot of jobs are opposed to IVF due to deeply held religious and/or moral beliefs. As a matter of religious liberty and freedom of conscience, those organizations should not be forced or mandated to cover IVF. In addition, health insurance premiums have been skyrocketing in recent years, and one of the reasons for that increase is an increase in the number of procedures and treatments that are required to be covered by insurance plans. Mandating that insurance plans cover IVF means that other individuals, many of whom are opposed to IVF, are obligated to subsidize the costs of the procedure and the creation and storage of excess embryos. I respectfully urge you to not mandate that plans cover IVF and/or allow organizations to opt of that coverage without penalty. Thank you for your service and for considering my comment.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Thank you kindly HRIC members!

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. Please help create legislation to direct ethical IVF, where multiple embryos are not created in order to have one successful birth. Sacrificing the unborn is a human rights violation.

I oppose mandatory coverage for IVF and embryo banking. Each embryo is a genetically unique human being. There are so many children who are waiting to be adopted. We should not use science to create humans in a laboratory and those that are should not be destroyed as so many are in IVF. We, as tax payers, should not be forced to pay for IVF or embryo banking. A Concerned American voter, Mary Rice

“The need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility is substantial and very important. There are many ways to address this need. As this significant and sensitive topic is considered, and as financial costs are assessed, we note that some procedures that would be included in the proposed coverage also have high social and moral costs. Some entities, including the Catholic organizations we represent, could not cover IVF, embryo banking, or similar procedures in their health plans – due to the religious tenets or moral convictions that are at the core of their mission. Mandating coverage of these types of procedures would come at the cost of fundamental religious liberty and conscience rights – raising serious issues in relation to Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal and state constitutions. In his Signature Explanation accompanying the bill that authorized HIRC to consider coverage of infertility treatments, Governor Youngkin made a similar point. He stated, ‘I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.’ Moreover, whether a conscience exemption is included or not, it is essential to recognize that although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. To account for limited success rates, what some consider to be “excess embryos” are created and then frozen indefinitely, or eventually destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. The outcome of many IVF procedures, therefore, is the birth of one child with missing siblings that were denied their natural right to development. There are more than 1.5 million human embryonic children in freezers across the U.S., and 97 percent of embryos do not make it through the IVF process alive. Mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Each of us began our life as a human embryo. Each embryo created through IVF is a genetically unique human being and our brother or sister in the human family. To the largely unregulated IVF industry, some lives are expendable as long as others survive. We urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would further this tragic social and moral cost and force others who deeply disagree with these practices to subsidize them. Every life must be respected. So too must religious liberty and conscience rights. There are alternatives to address infertility that do not violate fundamental constitutional rights or put countless lives at risk of being indefinitely frozen or destroyed.”

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

As a Catholic, I oppose IVF. Even though IVF can help create new life, there are multiple factors that make it contrary to God’s plan for marriage and children, therefore rendering it morally wrong. For example, it often includes the death or freezing of embryonic children. And although preserving embryos by freezing them does not kill them, it could be compared to placing innocent children in prison. Creating embryonic children to be frozen and participating in their deaths are both profound violations of their dignity. Furthermore, according to God’s plan, marriage is an exclusive, lifelong union between a man and a woman that reflects the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves us. Sexual intimacy has two aspects—the power to unite and the potential to create new life. These aspects belong together and should not be separated. And every child, as a human being, has the right to be conceived through a natural act of mutual, self-giving love within marital intercourse. But IVF separates conception from the spouses’ intimate, sexual union, and the children conceived through IVF are instead created through technological manipulation. Additionally, every human being is a gift made in God’s image with infinite dignity, so people should not be treated like objects or property. No matter how sincerely the children are loved and wanted, the process still treats them like products that can be bought and ordered. And in cases where a third party’s eggs or sperm are used, or where a woman acts as a gestational surrogate and carries the child, these people are also treated like property in a transaction and as means to an end, rather than as people to be respected.  

I am writing to voice my opposition to the proposal to mandate coverage of IVF and Embryo Banking in Virginia health insurance plans. These are procedures that are not supported by the Catholic Church, of which I am a member, but there are other compelling reasons not to mandate this. • I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives and raise the cost of health insurance for everyone.

I oppose forcing people who disagree with IVF procedures to pay for them in their health plans. Therefore, please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. I know of a recent incident where a boy embryo was discarded because it wasn't perfect. He was a child of God!

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please consider my comments. I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I strongly oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please, please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Thank you for carefully considering my views.

-I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. -I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. - I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. - Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. - Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. V/R Aaron Zaccagnino

The Family Foundation respectfully submits the following comments to the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) regarding proposed changes to Virginia’s Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plan, specifically concerning coverage mandates for infertility treatments and fertility preservation, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo banking. We oppose mandating coverage for these procedures due to significant ethical, moral, and legal concerns. Ethical Concerns with IVF and Embryo Banking - IVF raises profound ethical issues, particularly regarding the treatment of human embryos. The process often results in the creation of multiple embryos, many of which are not transferred to the womb. Data indicates that only approximately 7% of IVF embryos are implanted, leaving the remaining 93% at risk of destruction, indefinite freezing, or use in medical research. This high rate of embryo loss conflicts with the principle of respecting human life at all stages of development. Additionally, IVF can involve preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which allows for the selection of embryos based on traits such as sex, eye color, or other non-medical characteristics. This practice risks commodifying human life and promoting the concept of “designer babies,” undermining the inherent dignity of every individual. Another concern is the practice of “selective reduction,” where one or more embryos are removed from the womb after implantation, sometimes based on preferred traits. This procedure further exacerbates ethical issues by prioritizing adult preferences over the well-being of developing human life. Religious Liberty and Legal Considerations - Mandating coverage for IVF and embryo preservation could conflict with the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which protects individuals from government actions that substantially burden the free exercise of religion. Many individuals and organizations hold sincere religious or ethical objections to IVF due to its impact on human embryos. Forcing taxpayers or employers to subsidize these procedures could violate their conscience rights. As noted in the Governor’s statement on the bill authorizing HIRC’s review, exemptions for non-governmental plan sponsors with religious or ethical objections are critical to preserving religious liberty. Recommendations - The Family Foundation urges HIRC to reject mandates for IVF and embryo preservation coverage. Such mandates would impose moral, social, and emotional costs while potentially violating constitutional protections for religious liberty. Instead, we encourage exploration of alternative infertility treatments that respect both human life and the conscience rights of individuals and organizations. Every human life is precious and deserves protection, from conception onward. Likewise, religious liberty and conscience rights must be upheld. We urge the HIRC to consider these concerns carefully and prioritize policies that honor both human dignity and fundamental freedoms.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. To be Pro-Life means encompassing everything that means and not just a reductive definition of it. Because we believe that life begins at conception, IVF is another form of human trafficking and can even cross the line, at times, into eugenics. There are a variety of other ways to go about resolving these issues couples face like Natural Family Planning (NFP). As a practicing Catholic and a registered voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I don't want my tax dollars going to a transactional procedure I don't believe in.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. The majority of embryos do not survive these laboratory procedures and the “extra” ones are frozen or discarded. This is not the way human beings are meant to be created, with extra embryos created to be killed or frozen. The moral implications will damage families and society’s collective conscious. I oppose mandating insurance coverage of these practices that destroy human lives.

I am writing to urge you to reject the proposal to require insurance companies to offer IVF Coverage and embryo banking. Required coverage should be limited to protecting life and physical health. Neither of these meets that definition, and requiring coverage forces people who find many aspects of fertility treatment to be morally objectionable--particularly embryo banking--to help pay for them by removing the choice of selecting an insurer who does not cover such treatment. However sympathetic I am to people who are struggling with fertility, requiring this coverage is not the way to help them.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this matter.

As a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, a mom, and a Catholic, I strongly believe the need to express my concerns regarding the expansion of mandatory coverage for IVF and embryo banking in Virginia health insurance. Below are my opinions: • I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive.

These procedures are medically possible but still carry risks and also run contrary to religious beliefs about sanctity of life. They should not be rolled into insurance plans as a matter of course.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives

While I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility, it is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do NOT mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Thank you.

I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I believe that there are many ways to address the need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility, but requiring coverage of IVF and embryo banking would be contrary to religious liberty, conscience rights, and – most fundamentally – respect for every life. * I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. * I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. * I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. * Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. It is essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryos banklng and similar procedures that would result in even more embryonic children their lives.

Infertility affects many families, and they deserve support and compassion. However, every embryo is a unique human being whose life must be respected. Human embryos should not be frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. And yet, countless human embryos are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. We should also not be forced to pay for these procedures in health plans. Therefore, please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. This makes embryonic children experiments instead of getting the dignity they deserve.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who sincerely disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more of Virginia's children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with IVF procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. It is an elective procedure not a life saving procedure for the woman. Life is a gift from God not a man made baby (IVF) entitlement that may kill human babies in the process. Insurance companies are not required to pay for the needed therapies for autistic children and adults. Why not? Financial interests are pushing for IVF.

I don’t want to be forced to subsidize IVF procedures. I believe each embryo is a person, and not just a bunch of cells to be discarded if not selected to continue gestation. Let the people who are in favor of these procedures set up an organization with their money instead of pouring it out with lobbyists and politicians.

I want to affirm and support the position of my church leaders. There are many ways to address the need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility. While we should provide support, requiring coverage of IVF and embryo banking is a violation of religious liberty, conscience rights, and – most fundamentally – respect for every life. This is our money, and the majority of Virginians are Christians who affirm life and the Churches teaching.

No one should be forced to pay for another persons elective. Especially for harvesting embryos as if the were cattle, which is considered which is a great evil. It devalues everyone's life when any class of people are treated like things instead of their inestimable value as human beings.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am requesting that the Virginia’s Health Insurance Reform Commission to NOT support or fund or promote IVF and Embryo Banking. • I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am writing to voice my opposition to requiring all health plans to include IVF. I empathize with those couples unable to conceive naturally and sincerely desiring to have children. I know, however, that In Vitro Fertilization treatments create numerous embryos in hopes of having 'success' with implanting at least one embryo in the woman's womb. The other embryos may be frozen for years, or destroyed. Each embryo is a human life, with unique DNA. My religious belief, and that of many employers in Virginia, is that it is not lawful to destroy these embryos, or to have them in "frozen suspended animation" for years. It is unethical, therefore, to require employers with those religiously-held beliefs, to provide IVF treatment in health plans they offer to their employees.

All lives no matter what stage of development need to be protected, so I object to embryo banking. IVF creates life and then disposes of some of the fertilized eggs. It is morally wrong and I do not want my tax dollars spent on these procedures. In addition: ‘I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.’ Thank you. Veronica Herczogh

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to procedures that involve the freezing, destruction, discarding, or experimentation upon human embryos. Additionally, I object to requiring individuals who fundamentally disagree with these procedures to financially support them through their provided health plans.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

IVF is Eugenics ---MASS MURDER. IT MUST BE ANNIHILATED. MONTERS/SAVAGES/BARBARIANS are its EXECUTERS.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility, but it is essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

"Virginia’s Health Insurance Reform Commission is considering whether to make additions to the list of items health plans are required to cover – including the possibility of adding mandatory coverage of IVF and embryo banking. A USCCB primer explains the Church’s teaching on these topics." (Virginia Catholic Conference posting) Please, dear ladies and gentlemen, in your well-intended deliberations, please value and respect each person's life. "A person's a person no matter how small." ("Horton Hears a Who") As a nursing professional (retired BSN, RN), I have witnessed many situations, viewpoints and positions taken, concerning the above issues. And my personal belief is that -- most always -- folks deciding on these matters are persons of "good will". However, besides being afflicted in general -- on the part of our society -- by a certain "not-seeing" regarding LIFE (as in, up close and personal), we are also handicapped by a dearth of public awareness regarding the very hopeful developments we can now employ in understanding and enhancing human fertility. ("We are fearfully and awesomely made!") Please take into serious consideration, the concerns put forward by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. I truly believe that ALL of us -- whatever, or no, religious faith we may profess -- truly DO care. Please mindfully and respectfully DISCERN, before you act on these important issues. Thank you so much. Sincerely, patsy froehlich

Please do not force health insurance plans to provide IVF. In particular, please do not force religious organizations including churches and religious groups or outreach ministries to provide IVF. IVF violates the rights of conscience and religious liberties of many persons. IVF creates living persons many or most of whom are killed, frozen, experimented upon, or later discarded. Again, these are living persons whose lives and rights as persons are being utterly ignored. Spouses who suffer from infertility have options other than IVF, including natural family planning which examine the underlying problems that may cause infertility. In addition there is adoption available. Please, please, please do not impose IVF on health insurance plans—it only results in the death of far more children than those “ selected” or “allowed” to live. Thank you.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Thank you.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. It also goes against firmly held religious beliefs. Each embryonic organism is a unique human and should be treated with dignity, not placed in a freezer indefinitely or destroyed.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Irreplaceable, unrepeatable GIFTS, we humans are! I ask that insurance companies not be forced to cover IVF. 1. The procedure utterly undermines the purposed value of the marital embrace, separating sex from the potential of life. 2. The procedure utterly undermines/ignores the truth that all humans are irreplaceable, unrepeatable GIFTS. May our society heal from, not fall prey to , and not be forced to pay for such degradation. Thank you for your time.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

As a woman who faced infertility after the birth of my only son, I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. However, it is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. The growing practice of IVF and embryo banking disregards the reality that these procedures result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. As the owner of a small firm that provides health care coverage to its employees, I would respectfully request that you please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Atentamente, Georgie Márquez-André

I oppose IVF and I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon.

Many human embryonic children created through IVF are frozen and will never have a life of their own. What a horrible end! Frozen or thrown away.

I oppose. See attachment.

I wholeheartedly support the need for compassionate support and guidance for families facing the difficult challenge of infertility. The emotional and financial toll it takes on couples is profound, and we should do everything we can to help them in their journey. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that each human embryo is a genetically unique individual, deserving of the same respect and dignity as any other human life. With this in mind, I must oppose any procedures that involve the freezing, destruction, discarding, or experimentation upon human embryos. These actions result in the loss of countless potential lives, and it is essential we find ethical ways to support families without compromising the sanctity of life. Furthermore, I oppose any policy that forces individuals who deeply disagree with these practices to fund them through their health insurance plans. This is not just a matter of personal belief; it's about the right to protect and respect all human lives. Sadly, far too many embryos created through IVF remain frozen or do not survive the process. We cannot continue to allow more innocent lives to be lost in this way. I strongly urge policymakers to refrain from mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that may lead to the loss of more embryonic children. Let us work together to support families in their journey while ensuring that all human life is respected and protected.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Don't force insurance to pay for IVF.

I oppose IVF because it involves the destruction of human life.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am opposed to procedures wherein human embryos are frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. Those who disagree with these procedures should not be required to pay for them in the health plans they provide. So, I ask that you not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Say NO to IVF, these are NOT experimental objects, nor are they ro be extracted from women! Each and every embryo is a HUMAN BEING, and is created by God and are for God!! It is unconscionable to make people pay for the cost of "science" that is contrary to our religious beliefs! JUST SAY NO TO IVF!!

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

While it is very painful to be facing infertility, many superficial remedies are actually more harmful and painful to the would be parents and their babies. Please understand that IVF is harmful because it does not respect the dignity of the human person and often ends in many more deaths than life. There are healthy ways to treat couples suffering from infertility that should be explored as well as the joyful way of forming a family through adoption. After being fully informed of the procedures required for IVF, citizens will recognize it’s evil it should not be forced to pay for it.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I am honored to comment on the HIRC's review of coverage for “Infertility Treatment.” I do so as the founder of a national charity which facilitates burial for embryonic human beings who die in IVF labs, as someone who interfaces with families facing the dilemma of what to do with remaining embryonic children when IVF is “done,” and as a former manager of a covered IVF benefit. The EHB Benchmark plan already covers diagnostics and services that “treat the underlying medical conditions that cause infertility (e.g., endometriosis, obstructed fallopian tubes, and hormone deficiency.” I recommend clarifying the term “infertility” in the effort to size the recipient population. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) defines infertility as “a disease, condition, or status,” which may result “without any known etiology (i.e., cause),” and which may call for “the use of donor gametes or donor embryos.” Furthermore, ASRM states that “Nothing in this definition shall be used to deny or delay treatment to any individual, regardless of relationship status or sexual orientation.” The current Benchmark plan does not name in vitro fertilization (IVF) and I am confident that access to IVF is the driving force behind this proposition. IVF has given rise to two truths. First, if fertilization of an egg is successful, the life of an unrepeatable, irreplaceable human being has begun. “We were also aware that our work would enable us to examine a microscopic human being – one in its very earliest stages of development…” A Matter of Life. Edwards & Steptoe. 1980. p80. Second, the IVF industry, along with its ancillary stakeholders, has created a massive, unrestrained, humanitarian tragedy which grows more dire with each new IVF cycle started. IVF is a multi-billion-dollar industry charged with the creation of our most precious “goods:” new human lives. Yet there is no industry accountability for the number of embryonic human beings held in storage, traded or purchased online, or thrown away as medical waste. The youngest human beings are treated as agents to an outcome (i.e., a pregnancy), rather than as subjects with their own rights, most important of which is the natural right of an innocent human being to not be killed. Exponentially more human beings die or are stored in the labs and warehouse parks than are killed in abortion, yet very little is done to protect them or their families. IVF generates humans in batches; grades humans not for therapeutic intervention but for ranking; freezes and stores living humans; genetically profiles chromosome #, disease, traits, and gender; may deprive children of a relationship with one or both biological parents; kills human beings through discard and are “donation" to research; disposes of deceased humans as waste. Consider a post from a U.S.-based IVF gender-selection social media page: “24 Retrieved, 19 Mature, 18 Fertilized, 8 Blasts, 6 Euploid, 4 🩷🩷🩷🩷 DG ✨🥹,2 💙💙.” “Retrieved” = eggs. “Fertilized” = new human life. Blast = embryonic human being at 5-6 days of age, known as the blastocyst stage of development. Euploid = having a normal chromosome count. PGT = pre-implantation genetic testing. DG = desired gender The dangers that IVF imposes on the youngest, most fragile human beings are grave. Expanding the EHB benchmark plan to include IVF, either immediately as “infertility treatment” or downstream as “fertility preservation” exacerbates these human rights violations.

I strongly oppose any mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking and embryo experimentation. The taxpayer should NOT be mandated to cover these procedures.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose the killing, freezing and harming of embryos. Life is life!!

Please don’t mandate coverage of IVF because it involves destruction/discarding of human embryos. There are many non-violent and effective fertility treatments that do not involve purposeful creation of more embryos than will be used/transferred into patient bodies. Please consider carefully these hopes. Thank you. Mary S Gregory PhD

Although I support the need to assist families facing infertility, I oppose procedures that might result in the destruction of or experimentation upon human embryos. I am particularly concerned that organizations with deeply held religious convictions may be required to provide services that go against these convictions. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover procedures such as embryo banking and IVF. Thank you.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

The 5th Commandment has always covered this subject. "Thou Shalt Not Kill"

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I am against forcing people who have strong moral convictions against these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. This equates to murder of the preborn baby. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I am against forcing people who have strong moral convictions against these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. This equates to murder of the preborn baby. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I do not favor the use of IVF. I support the comments made by the Virginia Catholic Conference. Thank you. Sam Starr

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives

Please respect religious liberty and DO NOT mandate that insurance companies provide IVF and Embryo banking. This would FORCE individuals, religiously opposed to both practices, to fund practices that are severely at odds with our firmly held religious beliefs that each embryo in a unique, individual human being. David Pennington Boydton, Virginia

The need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility is substantial and very important. There are many ways to address this need. As this significant and sensitive topic is considered, and as financial costs are assessed, we note that some procedures that would be included in the proposed coverage also have high social and moral costs. Some entities, including the Catholic organizations we represent, could not cover IVF, embryo banking, or similar procedures in their health plans – due to the religious tenets or moral convictions that are at the core of their mission. Mandating coverage of these types of procedures would come at the cost of fundamental religious liberty and conscience rights – raising serious issues in relation to Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal and state constitutions. In his Signature Explanation accompanying the bill that authorized HIRC to consider coverage of infertility treatments, Governor Youngkin made a similar point. He stated, ‘I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.’ Moreover, whether a conscience exemption is included or not, it is essential to recognize that although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. To account for limited success rates, what some consider to be “excess embryos” are created and then frozen indefinitely, or eventually destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. The outcome of many IVF procedures, therefore, is the birth of one child with missing siblings that were denied their natural right to development. There are more than 1.5 million human embryonic children in freezers across the U.S., and 97 percent of embryos do not make it through the IVF process alive. Mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Each of us began our life as a human embryo. Each embryo created through IVF is a genetically unique human being and our brother or sister in the human family. To the largely unregulated IVF industry, some lives are expendable as long as others survive. We urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would further this tragic social and moral cost and force others who deeply disagree with these practices to subsidize them. Every life must be respected. So too must religious liberty and conscience rights. There are alternatives to address infertility that do not violate fundamental constitutional rights or put countless lives at risk of being indefinitely frozen or destroyed.

Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon.I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide.Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. I appreciate your concerns and hope you will consider my input in making policy. Human beings should not play God;God will not be mocked. Denying that reality doesn’t make it true. Vengenance is mine, sayeth the Lord. A soul is a terrible thing to waste.

I believe that we should support families that have fertility problems in their medical care. however, IVF and embryo banking is against my moral principles. during the process of IVF many embryos are discarded or reduced. these are potential human beings if allowed to fully grow. I understand that not all couples are in agreement with my moral principles but insurance company should not be required to cover IVF or embryo banking. there are other solutions to infertility that do not require the creation and destruction of viable embryos. and do not require the long-term storage of embryos.

• I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. • I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. • I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. • Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. • Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Thank you for reading my comments. In short, I believe in the sanctity of life from natural conception until natural death. And so, I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. And as such I do not think that folks who deeply disagree with these procedures on deeply held faith beliefs should be required to pay for them in the health plans. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures. Again, thank for reading my comments. Have a blessed day.

I understand that reforms considered include IVF and embryo banking. The challenge of infertility can be a cause of trial for many families. There are avenues to pursue that don not involve IVF and freezing embryos. It is essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

“The need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility is substantial and very important. There are many ways to address this need. As this significant and sensitive topic is considered, and as financial costs are assessed, we note that some procedures that would be included in the proposed coverage also have high social and moral costs. Some entities, including the Catholic organizations we represent, could not cover IVF, embryo banking, or similar procedures in their health plans – due to the religious tenets or moral convictions that are at the core of their mission. Mandating coverage of these types of procedures would come at the cost of fundamental religious liberty and conscience rights – raising serious issues in relation to Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal and state constitutions. In his Signature Explanation accompanying the bill that authorized HIRC to consider coverage of infertility treatments, Governor Youngkin made a similar point. He stated, ‘I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.’ Moreover, whether a conscience exemption is included or not, it is essential to recognize that although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. To account for limited success rates, what some consider to be “excess embryos” are created and then frozen indefinitely, or eventually destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. The outcome of many IVF procedures, therefore, is the birth of one child with missing siblings that were denied their natural right to development. There are more than 1.5 million human embryonic children in freezers across the U.S., and 97 percent of embryos do not make it through the IVF process alive. Mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Each of us began our life as a human embryo. Each embryo created through IVF is a genetically unique human being and our brother or sister in the human family. To the largely unregulated IVF industry, some lives are expendable as long as others survive. We urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would further this tragic social and moral cost and force others who deeply disagree with these practices to subsidize them. Every life must be respected. So too must religious liberty and conscience rights. There are alternatives to address infertility that do not violate fundamental constitutional rights or put countless lives at risk of being indefinitely frozen or destroyed.”

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected

It is essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their live

oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I urge you not to include IVF as a constitutional right in our Virginia Constitution. More embryos (live human beings(babies developing) are destroyed and disposed of on the same scale as deliberate abortions, killing of unborn children. There are other moral and good ways to help couples with Infertility. Doctors and nurses at Tepeyac Clinic in Fairfax VA have been very successful in helping couples, regardless of their financial status. They never destroy life to bring new life. Good can never be achieved through evil methods.

I understand that Virginia’s Health Insurance Reform Commission is considering mandatory requirements that insurance plans cover IFV and embryo banking. As I am sure you are aware, there is considerable moral objection to destruction of embryos and therefore to IFV procedures. The challenge of infertility needs to be confronted, but not by creating embryos to be frozen, banked and then discarded. Please do not approve changes in requirements that would mandate support for these procedures.

Please do not require health insurance companies to provide coverage for IVF and embryo banking as this would make subscribers to the coverage complicit in the destruction of human life that the IVF process entails. While my heart aches for couples who are unable to conceive a child, the remedy of creating a surplus of human embryos, knowing that some of these will inevitably be destroyed or die, so discomforts my conscience as to make it no remedy at all, even though I know that well-meaning medical professionals have decided otherwise. The religious liberty protections of our Constitution exist to protect consciences such as mine where we might disagree about matters such as the fundamental right to life of human embryos.

I believe that all life is a gift. I strongly oppose legislation that mandates the practice of destroying that gift. I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive, returning to the grief of the challenges of infertility. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Dear Sir or Madam, I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Thank you for you time and consideration of this matter. Sincerely, Barbara Bradley

I am aware of your upcoming meeting regarding health insurance mandates and wanted to express my opinion. Procedures that result in the destruction of human embryos are not good for our society. While I do want to support families who struggle with infertility, methods that require the destruction of life run couner to the idea of creating a family. Thank you for Reading my opinion.

At a time in which our country is too deeply divided and there is a need to increase the number of Virginians with health insurance would be wrong to include a divisive abortion mandate that would distract our state from what should be the primary issue to increase the protection of innocent life.

Dear Commissioners, I am sympathetic to couples who want families, but have fertility issues. None the less, lives of persons can not be discarded and swept away, and embryos, incipient humans, are persons. The ramifications of ignoring this fact are wide and deeply detrimental to society. Therefore, I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. Sincerely, Harry Raab

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Hi, I wish for you to protect the unborn and not force mandates that lean towards abortion as a requirement for citizens to support. Thank you for reading my concern.

As a Roman Catholic, I strongly oppose IVF procedures and embryo banking to address infertile couples. The practices violate our religious teachings and undermine the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Respect for human life is the cornerstone of our beliefs and it is imperative that we seek in everything we do to preserve and cherish the sanctity of human life. Please oppose any actions that would undermine this principle.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I SUPPORT EFFORTS TO DEFEND HUMAN LIFE.

I affirn the following: I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

Please respect right of conscience and life when drafting this legislation.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I support the need to help and accompany families facing the challenge of infertility. It is also essential to recognize that each embryo is a genetically unique human being whose life must be respected. I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. I also oppose forcing people who deeply disagree with these procedures to pay for them in the health plans they provide. Countless human embryonic children are frozen or do not make it through the IVF process alive. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

I oppose procedures that result in human embryos being frozen, destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. Please do not mandate that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures that would cost even more embryonic children their lives.

The Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists is thankful for the opportunity to provide comments to the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) as it takes up potential changes to Virginia’s Health Benefits Benchmark Plan. We will limit our comments to two topics that we would like you to consider: Infertility and Fertility Preservation. The Independent Baptists know firsthand from counselling and otherwise helping those couples that are dealing with infertility, the pain and sense of emptiness that is accompanied by infertility. We have borne the burden of those families and many of our Pastors in our organization have personally had issues facing infertility. So, as ones that understand that the pain is significant and real, we do not make our comments having not been there, nor not having not had to help people face a similar issue. We also understand the high financial stress this can cause, and we understand that no amount of money is not worth spending to have a family. However, we also understand that it is not a good moral situation to use embryonic banking for what will result in a 97% failure and the destruction of human life. Even though IVF creates some lives, it destroys most. Not only does it destroy most lives, but when it fails, which it does most of the time, it brings to life the pain of infertility all over again. The issue at hand also brings to serious consideration an issue relating to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 a U.S. federal law (42 U.S.C. § 2000bb) aimed at protecting religious liberty by ensuring that the government does not substantially burden a person's free exercise of religion. We saw this most notably in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014) and City of Boerne v. Flores (1997). Thus, mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and the like would cost even more embryonic children their lives and violate the RFRA. The Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists strongly urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would continue the moral, social, and emotional costs of IVF, and that would force others, who have a religious objection, to subsidize such practices. Life is a unique gift of God and must be honored and protected, so must the religiously held beliefs of others.

The Virginia Catholic Conference is grateful for the opportunity to provide comments to the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) as it considers potential benefit changes to Virginia’s Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plan. Our comments relate to two items under consideration – Infertility and Fertility Preservation. The need to accompany and support families facing the challenge and hardship of infertility is substantial and very important. There are many ways to address this need. As this significant and sensitive topic is considered, and as financial costs are assessed, we note that some procedures that would be included in the proposed coverage also have high social and moral costs. Some entities, including the Catholic organizations we represent, could not cover IVF, embryo banking, or similar procedures in their health plans – due to the religious tenets or moral convictions that are at the core of their mission. Mandating coverage of these types of procedures would come at the cost of fundamental religious liberty and conscience rights – raising serious issues in relation to Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal and state constitutions. In his Signature Explanation accompanying the bill that authorized HIRC to consider coverage of infertility treatments, Governor Youngkin made a similar point. He stated, “I firmly believe it is essential that HIRC exempt nongovernmental plan sponsors with sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs from any coverage requirements it may recommend. Protecting these deeply held convictions is a fundamental principle.” Moreover, whether a conscience exemption is included or not, it is essential to recognize that although IVF creates some lives, it destroys many others. To account for limited success rates, what some consider to be “excess embryos” are created and then frozen indefinitely, or eventually destroyed, discarded, or experimented upon. The outcome of many IVF procedures, therefore, is the birth of one child with missing siblings that were denied their natural right to development. There are more than 1.5 million human embryonic children in freezers across the U.S., and 97 percent of embryos do not make it through the IVF process alive. Mandating that Virginia health plans cover IVF, embryo banking, and similar procedures would cost even more embryonic children their lives. Each of us began our life as a human embryo. Each embryo created through IVF is a genetically unique human being and our brother or sister in the human family. To the largely unregulated IVF industry, some lives are expendable as long as others survive. We urge the Commission to reject coverage options that would further this tragic social and moral cost and force others who deeply disagree with these practices to subsidize them. Every life must be respected. So too must religious liberty and conscience rights. There are alternatives to address infertility that do not violate fundamental constitutional rights or put countless lives at risk of being indefinitely frozen or destroyed.