Defense Health Agency (DHA), DoD.

Notice of demonstration project.

The Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs issues this notice announcing implementation of a three-year demonstration project to provide reimbursement for cryopreservation of gametes for certain eligible servicemembers in accordance with Section 709 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, (Pub. L. 118-159). This demonstration project is intended to evaluate the utility, feasibility and cost of providing reimbursement for retrieval, cryopreservation, shipping and storage ( printed page 52296) of gametes for eligible covered members. For purposes of this demonstration program, a covered member means a member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force serving on active duty who has either received orders (including deployment orders) for duty for which the member may receive hazardous duty pay; whom the Secretary determines is likely to receive such orders in the next 120 days; or who will, under orders, be geographically separated from a spouse, domestic partner, or dating partner for a period of not less than 180 days, including sea duty.

The demonstration will commence September 14, 2026 and will be conducted for a period of three years unless extended by subsequent notice.