Fighting for my Infertility Rights

Yes, within my reproductive rights, I have infertility rights (or I should have, anyway). Here are my thoughts without getting too controversial or debating an issue. When I check my health insurance coverage, in an alphabetical list, the very top of the list is a women's reproductive right and it's covered. So if that's covered, why isn't my right covered? Essentially what they are saying to me is that one right is more important than the other. Or it's probably more accurate to say, mine is not a right at all. What kind of a message does this send to families who so desperately want to become parents and could very well become parents if they had IVF coverage? It says that we're just not important. I don't know about you, but that's not okay with me. And if a certain organization for women's rights really cared about ALL women, they would be fighting for infertility rights, as well.

So within the realm of what I can do, Bob and I are currently talking to anyone who will listen within his companies HR about their lack of infertility treatment coverage. We began by tweaking a sample letter found on the RESOLVE website to express our displeasure with the lack of coverage. We're working our way up the chain of command and working to make this coverage a reality for all families within IHS, Inc. After all, if IHS, Inc. wants to be seen as a family-friendly company, they need to actually be one. That means helping families within their company become parents with Infertility treatment coverage. We've already spoken with four HR executives within IHS, Inc. and this morning, we just sent it on to the Senior Vice President and Chief HR Officer for IHS, Inc. He is to the top of the HR food-chain and reports directly to the CEO. We'll see what happens.

I believe that one of the most important things that we can do on this journey is to empower ourselves. We are not helpless. There is also strength and power in numbers. Alone, this can feel like an impossible fight, but together, I believe that we can do this. The Infertile community demands to be heard.