When you receive the news that getting pregnant naturally may not be an option the first thought may be “How in the world am I going to pay for this?” Did you know that most infertility treatments are often not covered by most insurance companies? We’ve compiled a list of insurance companies that do pay for some treatments. But before we list those companies we’d like to discuss why organizations like Tennessee Infertility Advocates are fighting to push legislation that would require more insurance companies to cover these costs. As of 2021, only 15 states have laws that require insurance companies pay for any treatments. If you are unsure what your state requires or offers, please check out the website for National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and look up your state individually. According to the Mayo Clinic, 10% of couples will struggle with infertility. This can be as a result of many reasons including childhood illnesses, medications, medical treatments, or genetic dispositions.
Why Insurance Companies should cover IVF:
- It is a DISEASE, defined by the American Medical Association.
- It is NOT simply “women’s” issue. 1/3 of all infertility related issues are due to male factor. (the other 1/3 being female, and 1/3 being unexplained)
- When procedures are covered under insurance, couples tend to make medical decisions based on what is best for mother/baby, vs their pocketbook. For example, it is safer to transfer a single embryo at a time, but each transfer costs money, so those without coverage tend to transfer multiple embryos at once – which leads to #4….
- Single baby births are much safer for the mom and the baby. Multiple births typically result in high risk pregnancies, pre term labor and NICU stays – costing the insurance companies millions.
By adding coverage, not only are couples able to have more affordable treatments, the access to treatments are increased as well.
One of the misconceptions people make when presented with the argument of insurance coverage is that “nothing is free”. We’re not saying that insurance should cover 100%, but advocate for enough coverage that couples have the option and ability to receive treatments.
Obviously we feel this is a very personal and important conversation that should be discussed and presented so that couples do not feel as though their options are too far out of reach. We are always open to having this conversation and encourage anyone to reach out or comment below. The pain couples feel with each negative pregnancy test could potentially be alleviated with support for slightly less financial burdens. Do you agree? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Looking to switch careers for fertility benefits? Check out this list! Some of them have immediate coverage, only require part-time work, etc.
Are you looking to add benefits to your current plan? Check out PROGYNY! We’ve worked with them before, and we’re happy to help set up an introduction!
