RESTORE Act
The RESTORE Act would systematically expand research, data collection, training, and funding related to restorative reproductive medicine and fertility awareness-based methods. It authorizes broad efforts across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study and promote restorative approaches to diagnosing and treating reproductive health conditions (such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, fibroids, and blocked fallopian tubes), and to improve access to these options for patients. The bill also seeks to modernize medical coding and reimbursement to support restorative care, expand related training and education, and broaden data collection through surveys and reports. It simultaneously protects health care providers who choose not to participate in assisted reproductive technology (ART) from penalties or discriminatory actions by the federal government or entities receiving federal funds, citing religious or moral objections as a protected consideration. In short, RESTORE aims to (1) advance research and data on reproductive health conditions and restorative medicine, (2) expand education and training for providers and patients, (3) broaden funding toward restorative medicine through Title X and related programs, and (4) update coding and reimbursement to ensure these services are recognized and paid for. It also adds male infertility and lifestyle-related factors to the policy focus and seeks to integrate restorative approaches into national health surveys and standard-of-care reviews.
Key Points
- 1Expands research, data collection, and training related to restorative reproductive medicine and fertility awareness-based methods; requires regular reports on standard of care for infertility and reproductive health diagnoses.
- 2Prohibits discrimination against health care providers who do not participate in ART, protecting federal funding recipients and entities that decline ART on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions.
- 3Broadly expands funding and access for restorative medicine through Title X-related grants, Teen Pregnancy Prevention programs, and the Reproductive Health National Training Center, including specialized training and fellowship opportunities.
- 4Modernizes medical coding and reimbursement (ICD-10, ICD-PCS, CPT, HCPCS) to better classify and pay for restorative treatments, including laparoscopic and other minimally invasive procedures, surgery for reproductive conditions, and bundled payment models for restorative care.
- 5Expands research scope to include emerging topics (e.g., endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, infertility causes, male infertility, endocrine disruptors, microplastics) and requires public, ongoing reporting of findings.