In an attempt to increase access to in vitro fertilization, Donald Trump has risked offending some conservatives. Now, he has sought the assistance of a well-known NASCAR wife.
Samantha Busch, the wife of Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing, disclosed on Instagram that she was invited to the White House to talk about Trump’s initiatives to lower the cost of IVF treatment.
“It is a privilege to be invited to the White House to meet with the Office of the Domestic Policy Council in support of the President’s Executive Order to promote greater accessibility and affordability of IVF treatments,” Samantha shared a post on Instagram.
Two of Samantha and Kyle Busch’s children were born via IVF, and their charity, the Bundle of Joy Fund, offers financial assistance to couples in the Charlotte area who are infertile and want to undergo IVF.
Samantha added on Instagram, “I was able to offer feedback and input based on my personal 10-year experience as a patient, as an advocate, and as the founder of The Bundle of Joy Fund.” We had yet another fruitful discussion about the factors that lead to the high expense of treatment, the rise in infertility rates, and the patterns we observe in our applicants.
We’re going to continue having the important talks and speaking up for change!
In February, Trump issued an executive order ordering the government to lower the cost of the widely used fertility procedure and increase access to in vitro fertilization.
How the costs would be paid for was not addressed in the directive, which instructed Trump’s domestic policy chief to create a list of policy suggestions within 90 days that would protect IVF access and lower prices for individuals.
For couples who are having trouble conceiving, IVF entails combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory dish to generate an embryo, although most states do not now compel insurers to cover this procedure. IVF treatments and medications can cost thousands of dollars, even if insurance covers them.
“It is the policy of my Administration to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable,” the order said.
Citing data from the Department of Health and Human Services, the White House said in a fact sheet that more than 85,000 babies were born in 2021 as a result of IVF. Each cycle can cost anything from $12,000 to $25,000, and getting pregnant may require several cycles.
According to the White House, the US fertility rate fell by 2 percent a year between 2014 and 2020 and by 3 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. According to World Bank data, the US birth rate in 2022 was 1.67 births per woman, which was less than the replacement rate of 2.1 required to sustain the population in the absence of immigration.
On June 4, 2023, in Madison, Illinois, Kyle Busch poses for pictures on the grid with his wife Samantha, son Brexton, and daughter Lennix before the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300.
According to the White House, the order will also guarantee that the government looks into existing practices that increase the cost of treatment, including those that call for laws to alter.
During his campaign, Trump stated that if won, he would mandate that insurance companies or the government cover the cost of IVF fertility procedures.
Following the conservative Alabama Supreme Court’s decision that embryos are children, IVF became a contentious topic in the 2024 presidential election. Because of the ambiguity created by that decision regarding the legal storage, transportation, and use of embryos, some IVF patients are thinking about relocating their frozen embryos outside of the state.
Last year, Democratic-led legislation to safeguard access to IVF was twice defeated by Senate Republicans, who said it was unnecessary because the access was unaffected.
Kurt Busch, another NASCAR racer, has a younger brother named Kyle. Kurt won the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, and Kyle won the series in 2015 and 2019.
