Including TRICARE coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in this year’s must-pass defense policy bill would support growing military families and boost a health care benefit that is “vital to retaining the skilled force we need to defend this nation,” MOAA and more than a dozen other advocacy groups wrote in a Nov. 10 letter to congressional leaders. 

Both the House and Senate versions of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would provide these families with an IVF benefit on par with what’s available to lawmakers, their staff members, and other federal employees.  

Including this provision in the final bill “represents a critical opportunity to close this parity gap,” according to the letter, sent to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees. 

[READ THE LETTER] 

“Our nation’s military families earn their health care benefits through immense service and sacrifice, and members of the military face unique challenges when trying to start or grow a family, including recurrent deployments and separations, frequent moves to new duty stations, and other military life stressors,” the letter states. 

MOAA and other signees – including The American Legion, National Military Family Association, and Paralyzed Veterans of America – also encouraged lawmakers to expand IVF coverage to include military retirees, many of whom are in their late 30s and may have waited for retirement to start a family, and to those serving in the Coast Guard, the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the NOAA Commissioned Corps. 

[ADD YOUR VOICE: Ask Lawmakers to Fix TRICARE’s IVF Coverage Gap] 

NDAA Progress 

The Senate approved its version of the NDAA on Oct. 9, almost a month after the House passed its version. Lawmakers from both chambers are negotiating a final version, which should emerge around Thanksgiving. A House vote on the measure could come in early December, according to Punchbowl News, with a Senate vote expected to follow shortly thereafter. 

Even though the IVF provision appears in both versions, there’s no guarantee it will survive the negotiation process. That’s why MOAA and fellow advocacy groups have continued to press key legislators on the issue, and why your voice can make a difference for military families in the coming days.  

For updates on the NDAA and other MOAA legislative priorities, visit our advocacy news page.