Infertility remains a common problem for both men and women in the United States, but insurance policies often do not cover treatments. Getting in vitro fertilization can cost around $20,000, and for many individuals that is too much to afford. Jessica Tincopa, for example, is considering leaving her photography business for a job that may have better medical coverage options.
Even though she spent 14 years building the business, she didn’t have the health insurance she needed to cover her IVF treatments. Tincopa and her husband have experienced six miscarriages, and want to expand their family. Without some insurance coverage for the procedure, however, there aren’t many opportunities to do that.
The pandemic has taken most of the couple’s savings, and they are starting to save for another IVF round. They searched their state’s marketplace for insurance policies that would cover IVF, but none of them would. However, there are insurance companies and policies that cover IVF and other fertility treatments. The difficulty is in finding one, and a job that offers it.
Nearly one in five married women between 15 and 49 struggle with fertility, the CDC estimates. That’s a lot of women dealing with a very important medical issue. Additionally, there are also men who have fertility issues. Getting insurance coverage to find the cause of the problem and provide options is very important for anyone in this situation who wants to have a child.
Receiving IVF treatment remains a matter primarily for people with certain income levels or access to other funds, and that leaves many working couples and individuals out of the equation. The argument for covering IVF through insurance is that these individuals deserve to have children like others who may have more money to pay for the treatment.
By 2022, 54% of the largest US employers will have insurance coverage that includes IVF. For other large companies, and most smaller ones, however, coverage is not offered to employees. It’s also absent from most marketplace plans, so the self-employed are also out of luck.
If you want to learn more about the legal aspects of raising your family through surrogacy, contact us today! The contracts we prepare for our clients are comprehensive and thorough. Some of the services we provide include advising clients on the state of the law regarding the various reproductive methods available; drafting contract(s) between the intended parents and their surrogate or donor; assisting prospective parents in finalizing their parental rights; and assisting our surrogate clients in establishing intended parental rights.
