FINANCES: The Infertility Gamble

The financial burdens from infertility are indescribable. The results are not guaranteed, it’s a gamble. And many couples have zero coverage for reproductive technology. While others I’ve heard of having $25,000 lifetime coverage. As you can tell, it greatly varies across the entire country.

I’m currently on COBRA health insurance, from my last job. We were blessed enough while going through our first initial attempts at our IUI’s to have some insurance coverage, which helped out tremendously. But was still very expensive. After my 5th failed IUI, we found out my insurance had switched to cover an $8000 lifetime max toward any ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology), with a $3500 medication lifetime max toward ART. We were overjoyed! This meant we could go ahead with IVF, as before none was covered. Of course we’re already past those lifetime maximums, but we’re not complaining. It’s better than nothing!

After 18 months of COBRA coverage, you are kicked off and need to find an individual plan. We were under the impression that when my COBRA was done in May, I would have to find that individual plan. Which then means that you can’t have a baby for 18 months, in order to have full delivery coverage. (It’s sort of considered a “pre-existing condition” otherwise. Fortunately, we received great news that there’s a portability clause, which allows me to stay on the same plan with similar benefits, and it’s cheaper. We can still have my delivery covered when the baby comes in October. What a blessing we’ve spent so much time worrying about!

Obviously the expenses would be so much easier if the results were guaranteed. But they’re not. Most clinics have a 50% success rate with IVF. It’s a gamble. It’s throwing your money out there and taking a chance. But honestly we made the decision that we’d spend anything to have a chance to at our baby.