

cycles you will undergo before considering next steps, such as using an egg donor, a sperm donor or a surrogate. Discuss, for example, how many I.U.I.s you might try before you move on to I.V.F. “Lack of insurance (or less generous insurance) puts additional pressure on women to transfer multiple embryos, which can then lead to costly and risky multiple births.” When you have compiled information about cost, make a financial plan.Īt some point in the process, it’s helpful to set financial and treatment goals with your partner and your doctor. Schmidt, who studies how states’ insurance mandates affect I.V.F. “Some people can afford one cycle on their own, but not two or three,” said Dr. Lucie Schmidt, Ph.D., a professor of economics at Williams College in Massachusetts. Some studies suggest that most women can get by with three others suggest that number may be closer to six.īut trying for more than one cycle isn’t financially feasible for everyone, said Dr.

Most people will require more than one round of treatment, though exactly how many cycles you’ll need is hard to predict. There are add-ons, including genetic testing of the embryos and surgical procedures (such as sperm extraction or laparoscopy), which can increase the cost of I.V.F. cycle as one egg retrieval and all the embryo transfers that result from that retrieval. With medication, the cost can rise to closer to $25,000. cycle can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $17,000 (not including medication). According to the N.C.S.L., the average I.V.F. It’s difficult to know what treatment will cost before you begin, and pricing can vary depending on where you live. Once you have chosen a clinic, another good resource is the billing coordinator there, who may be able to provide additional details. It may be challenging to get all the answers you need from your insurance company (take down the names of everyone you speak with so you’ll have a paper trail). Is there a cap on your coverage? Is there a dollar amount, a cycle amount or a lifetime limit? Is there a waiting period before qualifying for I.V.F.? Do you first have to try certain treatments, such as I.U.I., for example? (Some insurance companies require a few months of trying to conceive or a number of I.U.I.s before beginning I.V.F.) Which treatments are covered? Are both intrauterine insemination and I.V.F. procedures might not be covered, your blood work and ultrasound monitoring may be.Īre medications covered, and do they need to be from a special pharmacy? If you do have fertility coverage, ask your insurance coordinator these questions:Īre initial consultations covered - and if so, how many? (This may help you determine whether you can visit several clinics before choosing one.)ĭoes insurance cover diagnostic testing? While I.U.I. Though typically, only a small fraction of the cost, such as that of medications, is covered. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, only 14 states require insurance plans to cover infertility, and two - California and Texas - require insurers to offer coverage. If you have an insurance plan through your state’s exchange, you might have coverage if your state has mandated fertility coverage.
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Collura noted that the exclusions on most full health benefits plan documents are “typically over 100 pages in teeny tiny font.” of Resolve: The National Infertility Association. “If you have health insurance through your or your partner’s employer, talk to the benefits person and find out exactly what is covered from your health insurance,” said Barbara Collura, president and C.E.O. Now, after speaking with several fertility experts who deal with finances an economist studying fertility and insurance and parents, bloggers and advocates who’ve gone through I.V.F., I’ve discovered some ways to make the financial process a little less painful.Ĭall your insurance provider before visiting fertility clinics.īefore you visit a fertility clinic, the first thing to know is whether you have any fertility coverage - and what kind.
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In the four years it took my husband and I to have a baby, I spent countless hours on the phone with insurance companies, pharmacies, doctor’s office billing departments and even shipping companies (“Where are my meds!”) to understand my coverage, its cost and how to receive what I needed in time for treatment. I had partial, limited fertility coverage, which seemed like the worst of both worlds: I had to deal with insurance, but it still did not cover everything. One of the worst parts of in vitro fertilization was dealing with the financial burdens it created. I always knew that raising a child would be expensive, but I never knew that trying to have one could be - until I discovered my husband and I needed fertility treatment.
