Copyright Us Weekly
When Mandy Moore and Lupita Nyong’o arrived in Washington, D.C., to advocate for greater investment in women’s health, they brought star power to an issue that’s long been overlooked. But while celebrity attention helps push fertility and reproductive care into the headlines, one former healthcare executive, and an in vitro fertilization [IVF] patient herself, believes the national conversation still misses the deeper point. Meg Rivera, former U.S. Market President at Organon, a global women’s health company, spent years overseeing the company’s fertility business and working directly with clinics, physicians, and policymakers. She also spent three years navigating the emotional and financial toll of fertility treatments herself, undergoing seven rounds of IVF before welcoming her daughter last year. That dual lens, policy insider and patient, gives Rivera a rare clarity on what this moment really means for the millions of families struggling to build theirs. Despite the headlines, the White House IVF announcement didn’t mandate coverage. “It focused on drug affordability, which is just a portion of the costs associated with fertility treatment,” Rivera says. “One drug will now be offered through TrumpRx, but similar discounts already exist. Even most government insurance programs, from Medicaid to federal employee plans, still exclude fertility benefits entirely. With only one in four large employers covering IVF, it’s a well-intentioned signal, not a systemic change.” The reality, Rivera explains, is that access to IVF in the U.S. is still determined more by privilege than by medical need. “IVF access in America still depends on your zip code, your employer, your tax bracket, and too often, your family structure, but not your medical need,” she says. “When you factor in medications and genetic testing, a single cycle can exceed $30,000, and most patients need more than one. The problem isn’t science. It’s the system that makes hope conditional.” The White House’s move to make one fertility medication more affordable may ease costs for a small group of patients, but Rivera says true progress will require a reimagining of how reproductive care is treated in both public and private insurance systems. “Real progress means moving from symbolic gestures to systemic change, consistent, affordable coverage, modernized insurance policies, and inclusive definitions of who deserves access to care,” she says. “The opportunity to build a family shouldn’t depend on where you live, who you work for, or how your family is defined.” As lawmakers, celebrities, and the public spotlight turn their attention to women’s health, Rivera’s voice cuts through the noise with both expertise and empathy. For her, the next step isn’t about one more press release or promise — it’s about transforming a system that too often turns hope into a privilege.
