Current Tricare Policy on Assisted Reproductive Technology

Here are the facts on the Tricare policy on military infertility, copied from a Congressional Research Service information page.

CDC recommends treating infertility with medicine, surgery, or assisted reproductive technology (ART).

DOD offers certain infertility treatment services for active duty service members or their spouses, such as for erectile dysfunction if it has a physical cause; or diagnostic services including semen analysis, hormone evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for illness or injury to reproductive system; care chromosomal studies, immunologic studies, special and sperm function tests, and bacteriologic investigation.

In general, DOD healthcare benefits do not cover artificial or intrauterine insemination; costs related to donors or semen banks; reversal of tubal ligation or vasectomy, unless medically necessary; care for erectile dysfunction from psychological causes including depression, anxiety, and stress; or non-coital reproductive procedures including in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer, zygote intrafallopian transfer, and tubal embryo transfer.

Nevertheless, DOD does offer some infertility services, such as IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and intrauterine insemination at some of its larger military treatment facilities, that servicemembers can purchase out of pocket. …TRICARE does not cover ART services.

Here is the non-coverage policy language from the Tricare website.