Active military personnel who decide to freeze their eggs or sperm are eligible for $10,000 maximum reimbursement per year under a new three-year pilot program, according to a Department of Defensenotice.
Active-duty personnel who have received orders for duty in a dangerous country are eligible, according to the notice. And troops likely to be on an active-duty order in a dangerous country within four months, or separated from their partner for at least six months, are also eligible.
Reimbursements are capped at $500 per year for sperm freezing and $10,000 per year for eggs, which includes the costs of retrieval, freezing, storage and shipping. Covered personnel can preserve their fertility via a civilian fertility clinic or military medical facilities that provide the service.
The new policy aligns with the Trump administration’s broader push to lower fertility costs and incentivize family formation, as the country faces increasing low birth rates.
The program starts Sept. 14.
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