Trump Announces Labor Rule Creating Optional Standalone Fertility Benefit
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office announced May 11, 2026 that the Labor Department will issue a rule letting employers offer an optional, standalone fertility benefit outside health plans.[1]
The option would be voluntary for employers and explicitly designed to sit outside companies' normal health insurance offerings.[1] The administration framed the move as expanding access while preserving employer choice, following an October announcement that it had struck a deal to lower fertility drug costs.[1]
In October, the administration said it had struck a deal with a drugmaker to reduce fertility medication costs.[1] Officials say the new Labor Department regulation formalizes an outside option employers can choose, rather than a mandate to change employer-sponsored health plans.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- On May 11, 2026, Trump announced from the Oval Office that the Labor Department is issuing a regulation to create a fertility benefit option for employers.
- The new option is designed to be offered outside employers' normal health insurance plans and is voluntary for employers.
- The announcement follows an October statement that the administration had struck a deal with a drugmaker to reduce fertility medication costs.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time