Insight about funding infertility

You’ve always heard that kids aren’t cheap. To rear a child, birth through adulthood, estimates range from $200,000 to $400,000 when you include a college education. No one expects to heap the cost of getting pregnant to that pile of cash. But, here you stand, poised to make an investment that will lead you to parenthood, and a lifetime of providing for a child’s needs and dreams. Here’s some insight about funding infertility

What to know about funding infertility

• Getting started. Once our highly trained fertility doctors map out your treatment plan, our financial team will help estimate the costs. As part of funding infertility, you’ll explain what your insurance will cover. Before the initial appointment, ask your employer for a full copy of your health insurance contract and fill out an online insurance benefit questionnaire. This will enable the staff Texas Fertility Center to accurately consult with you with regards to an estimate of out-of-pocket expenses. Fortunately, Texas is a fertility-friendly state. Texas law mandates at least partial coverage for infertile couples and individuals. Although some plans pay to diagnose infertility, but not to treat it.
• Exploring your options. Some couples turn to savings, a home equity or 401(k) loan or even take a part-time job. Others choose to finance fertility treatment costs with a low interest loan. At Texas Fertility Center, we do not directly offer financing. Instead, we refer patients to outside vendors, such as Advanced Reproductive Care (ARC), the nation’s largest network of fertility specialists. This program offers patients shared-risk financing, with ARC guaranteeing at least a partial refund if you don’t become pregnant.
• Making a plan. Start a file with copies of all prescriptions, procedure orders and contact information for your insurance company’s representatives. Written documentation will serve you best, so try to communicate with letters. The Texas Fertility Center website provides copies of sample letters of predetermination. After phone conversations, document the day, time and name of the insurance representative.

Making decisions now

We recommend deciding in advance how far you are willing to go with funding infertility. At some point, the financial burden may become too great. Your relationship as a couple has to come first. As a result, plan to have a frank conversation about when to say when, and how much you can afford in fertility treatments.

Contact us to reserve a time with a Texas Fertility patient account representative. We’ll provide one-on-one advice and consultation. If you want to go one step further, advocacy groups such as RESOLVE work toward insurance reform to give infertile couples a voice.