Health care lobby push back on Hawaii bill on LGBT fertility - KFVE, K5-Hawaii News Now, Local Programming

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) - Health care lobbyists in Hawaii are pushing lawmakers to rethink a bill that would expand access to fertility treatments to same-sex couples who want to have a child.

They're saying requiring insurers to cover fertility treatments for gestational carriers that male couples rely on could lead to legal problems.

Under Hawaii law, insurers must cover one round of in vitro fertilization for some married, heterosexual couples. Advocates from the gay and lesbian community are pushing for equal access to that money-saving benefit.

A Hawaii bill would make Hawaii the first state to require IVF coverage for surrogate mothers. That would help male couples who need a surrogate to carry a child.

But lobbyists say the state should write laws on gestational carriers before making insurers cover procedures for the group.

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