Are you thinking about starting fertility treatments, but are wondering how to pay for them?
You are not alone. Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples in the United States.
Boston IVF at the Women’s Hospital is here to help you understand your options for fertility financing. We can provide financial information such as insurance coverage, payment and financing options, and available discounts on medications.
Many couples have questions about fertility financing. Below are some of the most common questions:
Does insurance cover fertility care?
We find that most people in our region will have partial insurance coverage for fertility treatments, even for testing prior to the diagnosis of infertility. Overall, it is usually about 50% insurance coverage and 50% self-pay in our region.
Does Boston IVF at The Women’s Hospital help patients find out if insurance covers their treatment?
Yes! During your first new patient call, we will ask whether or not you have insurance. If you have insurance, then we will get your insurance information. We also ask about your employer because we typically know which employers in our area offer benefits for fertility treatments. We will always do a full benefit analysis for all potential patients prior to starting fertility treatments in our practice.
We also encourage patients to check with their employer before they begin their fertility journey. Be your own advocate by asking them for a benefit summary sheet. You may have fertility benefits available that you weren’t aware of. If you don’t have any fertility treatment benefits, talk to them about adding fertility benefits. Since one in eight women suffer from infertility, you may not be the only person at your workplace suffering from infertility. There are only about sixteen states at this point that are mandated to have some sort of employer group coverage, and Indiana is not one of those states.
What are some other ways that could help pay for fertility treatments, if insurance doesn’t cover them all?
After your first initial consultation with the physician, our financial counselor will meet with you to discuss your options. At that point, we’ve already checked your benefit options and the physician will have an idea of where your fertility journey will start. Based on your plan, our financial counselor will go over how much your insurance will cover. If your insurance only covers partial amounts for your treatments, or even nothing, we can discuss options for multi-cycle discounts and progressive cycle discounts.
Does Boston IVF at The Women’s Hospital offer cycle discounts or payment plans?
If you are 100% self-paying or your insurance does not offer any fertility coverage, we offer several discount programs:
- Multi-cycle discount program: this package includes your initial testing, monitoring appointments, and usually two to three IVF cycles with frozen embryo transfers for one flat fee.
- Progressive cycle discount program: this package is also a flat fee for IVF, but if you need a second round of IVF then it is discounted by $1000, and then an additional $1000 for a third round.
- Military discount: our practice also offers a discount for active duty or retired military.
We do have additional options that we can discuss, plus we have a financing company that we work with as well.
Are there any other options for helping to pay for fertility treatments?
If you don’t have any fertility benefits, there are other ideas to help you make and save money for your treatments. Many of our past patients have found creative ways to fund and save for fertility treatments.
Here are some examples, tips and tricks to creating a ‘baby fund’:
- Find a second job, or change jobs to a company that offers fertility benefits
- Research and apply for a fertility grant
- Sell crafts online (Etsy, etc.)
- Take out a home equity loan
- Borrow from your 401K
- Set up a GoFundMe account
Are there medication discount programs available?
Yes. Fertility medications can be very expensive, and sometimes can be more expensive than the fertility treatment itself! So we are always looking for medication discounts from pharmaceutical companies.
Also, our nursing staff has a list of pharmacies specific to fertility medications, and they often know which pharmacy offers the better self-pay pricing options. If you are several different medications, they may advise to get your medications from different pharmacies in order to save money and get the best prices for you.
How important is it for the patient to be relaxed about finance issues as she goes into fertility?
Money can be stressful in your relationship regardless of fertility issues. The most important issue to communicate clearly with your partner is - what is your maximum budget? It is very important to know where each person stands in order to eliminate the added stress of the financial burden. If you feel like money is becoming overwhelming, we can help by referring you to a great psychologist. Many of our patients go through counseling during the fertility treatment process. Reaching out for support is nothing to be ashamed of, and can be a great resource. Anxiety and stress can cause a significant damper on the fertility journey. Both partners need to work closely and obtain counseling if necessary.
If you have questions about fertility financing, or to schedule a consult with Boston IVF at the Women’s Hospital, please visit
https://www.deaconess.com/bivf or call 812-842-4530.