Family Act of 2011, S 965 introduced in the U.S. Senate
Legislation will remove financial barriers for infertility treatments
NCCRM applauds Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) for introducing a bill in the U.S. Senate that would provide eligible taxpayers a tax credit for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred with infertility medical treatment.
Appropriately named the “Family Act of 2011,” the bill, S 965, would apply to expenses related to in vitro fertilization and treatments to preserve fertility for cancer patients.
The Bill was introduced just days after RESOLVE’s successful Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. Advocates from across the country met with their Members of Congress to advocate for the tax credit. Enthusiasm was very strong for the tax credit among the Advocates, who see the need for immediate financial relief for infertility patients.
What YOU can do
Now that it is introduced, S 965 needs co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate. We need EVERYONE who is facing infertility (and their friends and family) to contact their two U.S. Senators.
1. Contact your two Senators right now. It takes 3 minutes through RESOLVE’s Action Alert System. PLEASE review the online letter and personalize it with your story. Personal content is far more impactful than a form letter.
2. Ask your friends and family to send letters too! Forward this link so they can take action today. http://www.resolve.org/taxcredit
3. Share the information about the tax credit on your Blog or Facebook page!
To read the letter sent by Senator Gillibrand to other members of the U.S. Senate, click here.
Key provisions of the bill:
- The Family Act covers the out-of-pocket costs associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) including diagnostic tests, laboratory charges, professional charges, and medications for IVF.
- The Family Act covers the out-of-pocket costs of fertility preservation procedures if the man or woman is diagnosed with cancer and the cancer treatment or disease itself may result in infertility.
- The Family Act has a cost sharing provision allowing 50% of all applicable medical expenses to be covered up to a lifetime maximum of $13,360. You would need to have out-of-pocket costs totaling $26,720 to claim the entire credit in your lifetime.
- If you do not owe taxes in a particular year, do not owe enough taxes to use the whole credit, or do not reach the max amount in one tax year, it carries over to the next year for a max of five years after the first year you use the credit.
- The Family Act is available to couples filing jointly with adjusted gross incomes of less than $222,520, but the credit is smaller for those earning between $182,500 and $222,520.
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