Dear Governor Brown,
I was sad to see your veto of Assembly Bill 912.
The words in your response most troubling to me:
“Coverage that goes beyond the essential health benefits is no doubt useful and desirable for many…”
“Useful” and “desirable” are such poor words to use in this context.
We’re not talking about owning a car verses taking the bus, Governor Brown.
We’re talking about leveling the financial playing field for couples who face a medical treatment that is certain to cause damage to their fertility, and simply want to have the chance to pursue parenthood at a later date, assuming the medical treatment outcome is good for them.
Is that asking too much?
How can that not be essential?
It is amazing that the federal Affordable Care Act does not deem infertility treatment an essential health benefit.
When will someone on either side of the aisle take a stand and admit that having children is part of our basic biology, and should be considered as essential to the pursuit of happiness as breathing, eating, or sleeping?
You had your chance to take that stand, Governor Brown.
Sadly, you chose the status quo response.
As the father of an IVF daughter who is as essential to my health and well being as the heart that beats in my chest, I couldn’t be more disappointed.
Good letter!
As an infertile person, this bill was one piece of regulation on business with which I actually agree.
Jerry Brown is a flake. I never voted for him and I never will. Sadly, he is going to be re-elected next year because the state GOP is basically irrelevant and can’t produce a top-tier candidate. Jerry Brown is wacky and unpredictable. They used to call him Governor Moonbeam back in 70s when he was our Governor and dating Linda Ronstadt. I would think that as a Democrat (who are supposed to be the compassionate ones), he would have been on board with something like this–instead he vetoes this and raises the minimum wage(which helps no one). He has done more to harm California then any other modern Governor(except maybe Schwarzenegger).
Sorry for the political diatribe, I just had to vent my unhappiness with yet another elected official who just does not get it when it comes to infertility.