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Maura Healey, one of the first out lesbian governors in the nation, wants to equalize coverage of assisted reproduction and provide other new benefits to Massachusetts veterans.
Military veterans who are in same-sex relationships could be reimbursed for the cost of in vitro fertilization under a bill introduced by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.
The measure is part of Healey’s Honoring, Empowering and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans, or HERO Act, which she unveiled in November and which will receive a hearing in a legislative committee this month.
On a national basis, the Department of Veterans Affairs does not cover infertility treatments for unmarried vets or those in same-sex couples. Members of Congress have introduced a bill to change that, and a lawsuit against the policy is pending as well. The suit originated in Massachusetts.
“We just want to make sure that everyone who served is well-served by our commonwealth,” Healey said in announcing the bill in November, according to news website MassLive. “We cherish our veterans in Massachusetts. Military service is really at the core of what this nation is about.” Healey is one of the first two out lesbian governors in the nation, with Tina Kotek of Oregon.
The bill also would expand veterans’ access to behavioral health care, increase benefits for disabled vets, modernize state law language to be gender-neutral, and make a host of other changes.
One of them would be expanding the scope of the state’s Veterans Equality Review Board, which was established to assure that vets who received a less than honorable discharge due to “don’t ask, don’t tell” would be eligible for state benefits. The legislation would enable the board to review discharges related to military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, mental health conditions, or HIV.
“By promoting inclusivity and expanding benefits, we’re not only showing our gratitude to veterans but also addressing their evolving needs,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement upon the bill’s introduction. “This legislative package represents a significant step forward in the care and support we provide to our veterans, particularly for women and LGBTQ+ veterans.”
The Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs will hold a hearing on the bill sometime this month.
