We know that many Intended Parents in need of a surrogate come to this process as their last resort. Then you will be struck by the amount of cost involved in this process, that’s all there is to it. So this blog will discuss why to use an agency and things you should consider if you decide to go the independent route.
· Pre-screening Surrogates: While not true for all agencies, Bright Futures Families screens surrogates before matching. Agencies use this screening to screen the best possible candidates and those they think are most likely to pass your clinic’s physical screening. Not to mention evaluating if you’d be a good match for each other and all that.
o Compilation of all pregnancy birth and recent OB records. Those records will be reviewed in-house and by a reproductive endocrinologist.
o Background checks are done for all adults living in the home.
o Review Health Insurance and surrogacy pregnancy coverage.
o Personal interview at home or via video.
o Psychological evaluation by a mental health professional familiar with surrogacy and what this process entails.
o Papers of a long application, medical discharges, and other necessary things.
· Experience: This is our job and we use our past experience every day while working with Intended Parents, Surrogates, Clinics, Lawyers, Escrow, etc. Bright Futures Families has over 25+ years of combined experience in this industry and personal experience.
o We want your trip to be as smooth and stress-free as possible
o We can provide helpful tips and tricks in various parts of the process
o We understand the journey and the steps along the way, helping to manage expectations and be prepared for what comes next.
· Coordination and support throughout the process
o Case Management – We’re here to help you! Whether that’s helping set up appointments for screening or monitoring, booking travel, contacting the clinic, or sending information to the hospital before the birth – we’re here to match up to 6 months after birth when escrow is usually closed.
o Escrow – The agency is another set of eyes to help manage money and reimbursements through escrow, even setting up an escrow account. This includes checking insurance billing fees, double-checking the contract, and whether reimbursement applies, and there are sufficient funds. Just to name a few of the things that go into escrow and the reimbursement/payment part of the process.
o Support/conflict – With so many things going on within the journey and in life, there are times when there are disagreements or things you may not want to discuss directly with each other. The agency can act as an intermediary, there to help in difficult situations or simply to answer questions about the process along the way.
o Insurance – review, enrollment, and tracking when policies need to be in place. We can even help with insurance applications depending on the situation.
o Legal – Although we are not lawyers and do not provide legal advice, we can help point the right direction through ART Lawyer referrals, providing lawyers with the information needed for the contract and notifying everyone when it’s time for the Pre/Post Birth Order Process.
Still not convinced an agency is the way you want to experience the surrogacy journey, that’s ok. Here are some things to consider if you decide to go it alone:
· Bright Futures Families offers concierge services, check that out here.
· Will your clinic work with you and your surrogate as an independent match? (Some are not and just want you to be aware).
· Each side must have their own legal representation in the state where the surrogate resides.
· Use a third-party escrow account – even if you’re friends and family, you don’t want money to be a relationship stressor during this amazing process
· The surrogate’s health insurance should be professionally reviewed to ensure that it will or will not cover the surrogacy pregnancy or if it has a lien involved.
