What’s Happening?
A new bill in Nevada’s legislature is asking you – the taxpayer – to foot the bill for expensive fertility treatments while also redefining when human life begins.
Senate Bill 217 requires all health insurance plans in Nevada – including Medicaid – to pay for fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF). The bill also declares that embryos aren’t human beings under Nevada law.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 3:30pm in Carson City, with video connections to Las Vegas.
Why Should You Care?
Your money is at stake. This bill puts taxpayers on the hook in several ways:
- Medicaid costs: Section 14 requires Medicaid to cover expensive fertility treatments. With IVF costing around $50,000 per patient, this means your tax dollars will fund these treatments for Medicaid recipients.
- Government employee benefits: The bill forces state and local governments to cover these treatments for their employees. Who pays for government employee health benefits? You do, through your taxes.
- Unfunded mandate: The bill is officially labeled “CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE” – meaning local governments must provide these new benefits without any additional state funding to cover the costs.
- Higher insurance premiums: Even if you have private insurance, your premiums will increase as insurers are forced to cover these expensive treatments for everyone.
Think about it – we’re all struggling with inflation and rising costs. Is now really the time to add expensive mandates that drive up insurance costs for everyone?
Your beliefs are being ignored. The bill declares that:
“any fertilized human egg or human embryo that exists before implantation in the uterus of a human body is not a human being for any purpose under the law.”
This goes against both science and many people’s deeply held religious beliefs.
From the moment of conception, an embryo contains all the DNA that makes a unique human being. The bill tries to sidestep this biological fact.
Senator Jeff Stone (R), who sits on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, tells NN&V that he opposes this definition:
“I support insurance coverage for IVF treatments but oppose the definition of a fertilized egg not being a human being in the bill and thus cannot support it.”
What Critics Are Saying
Supporters claim this bill is about helping couples struggling with infertility. That’s a worthy goal, but there are better ways to achieve it.
For insurance companies, these mandates will raise premiums for everyone. While the bill does include exemptions for religiously-affiliated insurers who object on religious grounds, critics argue this doesn’t go far enough to protect faith-based organizations and individuals. Medical ethics questions are raised about giving doctors broad legal immunity when handling embryos.
What Happens Next?
If passed, SB 217 would take effect in January 2026. Insurance premiums would likely increase for most Nevadans. Religious-affiliated insurers could opt-out, but would have to notify policyholders.
The bill would make Nevada one of the few states to legally declare embryos are not human beings, putting it at odds with states that have moved to protect life from conception.
What You Can Do
Attend the Hearing
The hearing is on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 3:30pm. This is your chance to have your voice heard. You can:
- Attend in person in Carson City (Nevada Legislative Building, Room 2134)
- Join by video in Las Vegas (Nevada Legislature Hearing Rooms, 7120 Amigo St, Room 4)
- Call in at (888) 475-4499 using Meeting ID 825 2839 9929
Contact Committee Members
Email your concerns to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee:
- Fabian Donate (Chair): Fabian.Donate@sen.state.nv.us
- Angela Taylor: Angela.Taylor@sen.state.nv.us
- Roberta Lange: Roberta.Lange@sen.state.nv.us
- Robin Titus: Robin.Titus@sen.state.nv.us
- Jeff Stone: Jeff.Stone@sen.state.nv.us
Submit Written Testimony
Send a PDF document to senhhs@sen.state.nv.us at least 24 hours before the hearing.
Spread the Word
Tell your friends, family, and church members about this bill. Share this article with people who care about limited government and the protection of life.
This bill forces all Nevadans to pay for expensive procedures many can’t afford for themselves, while also redefining human life in a way that contradicts both science and faith. If you believe in limited government and the value of human life, now is the time to make your voice heard.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
