Councilwoman wants Philly to cover IVF procedures for non-union workers

A Philadelphia councilwoman wants to guarantee non-unionized city workers get the right kind of health coverage to start a family. 

While just over a dozen city workers took advantage of the in vitro fertilization benefit before it was terminated last year, Councilwoman Helen Gym has introduced a bill to bring it back. 

She said IVF is an absolutely necessary.

“This is not just some kind of luxury, this is an essential component for LGBT families. They must have IVF for them to have families,” Gym said Thursday. “This is not a choice for a lot of people.”

Although the treatment is rarely covered in the private sector, Gym said the city should rise above that.

“City employees … have a modest salary, but part of that is a benefit of coverage that sets a standard for what the benefit should look like,” she said.

The bill will go to committee for a hearing.