When Insurance Covers Artificial Insemination
Your health insurance may cover artificial insemination when state law requires the benefits. Many plans do not classify your desire to become pregnant by injecting sperm as a medically necessary procedure.
Eleven states have legal mandates requiring specific types of plans to cover infertility treatments. Research the pertinent local laws and look out for loopholes that might further limit coverage for artificial insemination given your situation.
- Prohibitions after voluntary sterilization such as tubal ligation or vasectomy
- Infertility defined as the inability to conceive through sexual intercourse excludes lesbian couples
- Limits on the use of a husbands sperm to fertilize a wifes eggs also rule out the use of donor banks
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Baby
A middle-income family can expect to pay an average of $13,000 on their child per year, according to estimates from the USDA. Bear in mind, that number doesnt factor in the actual cost of giving birth, which can vary widely based on the type of birth you have and your insurance coverage.
If that number seems higher than you could have possibly expected, try not to let it scare you. Budgeting and saving can go a long way towards making the financial aspects of child-rearing more manageable. And there are plenty of smart ways to stretch your dollar further.
Costs Of Frozen Embryo Transfer
- Embryo cryopreservation: $1,000 to $2,000. Freezing embryos takes several steps that may add to the cost of your IVF package. First, doctors must expose embryos to a cryoprotectant agent to prevent the formation of ice crystals. Then, the embryos undergo vitrification, a rapid-chill freezing process that also lowers the risk of ice crystals forming.
- Embryo storage: $350 to $600 a year. Some clinics include up to one year of free storage in the base price of IVF.
- Genetic testing: $1,800 to $6,000. Embryos may be frozen to wait for results of PGT, short for preimplantation genetic testing. There are multiple types of tests, and youll likely pay separately for each. Prices vary depending on which test your doctor recommends and to which genetics lab your clinic outsources its testing.
- PGT-A, or preimplantation genetic testing-aneuploidy, screens for extra or missing chromosomes.
- PGT-M, or preimplantation genetic testing-monogenic, looks for specific gene mutations that the embryo is at risk of inheriting based on the egg and sperm providers genes.
- PGT-SR, or preimplantation genetic testing-structural rearrangements, tests for inversions, translocations, deletions and/or insertions within individual chromosomes.
- PGT-P, or preimplantation genetic testing-polygenic disorders, the newest test, screens for the risk of polygenic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
You May Like: How To Relax While Trying To Get Pregnant
Your Chosen Hospital And Ob Gyn
First, check to make sure the delivery doctor and hospital you want are in your plans provider network. Dont assume that just because the hospital is in-network that the doctor is, too. Your Ob Gyn may have a contract to deliver at the hospital you like, but not have a contract with your insurance company. Physicians typically bill for services separately from the hospital. So if your doctor is not in your plan network you will get hit with all sorts of surprise bills that youll likely owe out of pocket.
Second, understand that costs vary widely from hospital to hospital and doctor to doctor, making it nearly impossible to anticipate what you will be charged. A University of California study found that women in the state could be charged anywhere from $3,296 to $37,227 for a routine vaginal delivery. For a C-section, the bills ranged from $8,312 to $71,000. And, to boot, discounts on these billed prices also vary widely from one insurance company to the next, further muddying the waters of what exactly you can expect to pay.
How Much Does Ivf Cost
If youre pricing IVF at fertility clinics in the United States, expect to be quoted roughly $12,000 to $14,000 for one cycle. This, however, doesnt mean youll pay that figure and be done. There are parts of the IVF processsome required, some optionalthat most clinics treat as add-ons to the base fee. Depending on your needs, a single IVF cycle can cost $30,000 or more. More often, the total bill will fall somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000.
Often, a clinics base fee for IVF will cover monitoring appointments, bloodwork, egg retrieval and follow-up care. If youre quoted below $12,000, it might mean that the base fee covers less than whats listed above. If youre quoted above $14,000, the base fee might cover more. Always ask for a clear list of what the base fee includes and what will be charged as additional fees.
At most clinics, the quoted price doesnt cover the price of the injectable hormones, which can cost from $3,000 to more than $6,000, usually paid directly to the pharmacy filling the prescription.
Additional clinic fees may include intracytoplasmic sperm injection , genetic testing of embryos, a trial transfer and/or cryostorage fees for embryos you wish to preserve.
If youre using a sperm donor, egg donor, gestational carrier or surrogate, that may cost anywhere from an additional few hundred dollars for a sperm donation to tens of thousands of dollars for a carrier or surrogate.
Also Check: Why Is Hard For Me To Get Pregnant
What Sperm Characteristics Matter For Conception
Different factors determine sperm health and the chances of fertilizing an egg. Sperm quantity, concentration, motility, and shape are all factors that determine if a male is fertile. The amount of sperm and their ability to move are the most important factors for a male to be able to get a female pregnant.
Success Rates For Iui
The same study found a 40.5 percent success rate for IUI after six treatments.
According to an article in the Journal of Andrology , pregnancy success rates for IUI are higher after six cycles of IUI compared with the same amount of ICI cycles. This is likely due to the more direct placement and preparation of highly concentrated sperm. According to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, preparing a sperm sample in a laboratory increases the concentration of sperm by 20 times.
Don’t Miss: How Long Is My Pregnancy
Additional Costs For Ivf Options
While basic IVF costs around $12,000, if you need additional assisted reproductive technologies, the cost will be higher.
For example, ICSI treatment may be an additional $1,000 to $2,500. Genetic testing of embryos, or PGT, may be around $3,000 or more. It may go as low as $1,800 or as high as $7,500.
Embryo freezing, including the initial freezing and storage, may cost an additional few to several hundred dollars. Yearly storage fees range anywhere from $200 to $800 per year.
If you have frozen embryos from a previous cycle and want to use them, doing so is significantly cheaper than doing a complete IVF cycle with fresh embryos. The average cost for a frozen embryo transfer is about $3,000 $5,000.
If you plan on using an egg donor, the overall cost will be significantly higherfrom $25,000 to $30,000 for one cycle. Using a sperm donor is less expensive, costing anywhere from $200 to $3,000 extra, or between $13,000 and $17,000 per IVF cycle.
Using a gestational carrier is the most expensive of all IVF options. If you include all the legal fees, agency fees, IVF costs, and payment to the gestational carrier, the cost can range anywhere between $50,000 to $100,000.
Embryo donation is the least expensive of the donor options. It’s often cheaper than a regular IVF cycle. An embryo donor cycle costs anywhere between $5,000 and $7,000. This is assuming the embryo has already been created.
How Much Does It Cost
According to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, IUI can cost anywhere from $460 to $1,500. This cost doesnt include prices for fertility medications.
However, there may be other costs prior to the insemination itself. This can include consultation, semen testing, and ultrasound monitoring.
Sometimes, an insurance company will cover a portion of the costs related to artificial insemination. IUI tends to be more expensive than ICI because:
- its more invasive
Read Also: How To Overcome Nausea In Pregnancy
Infertility: How Much Would You Spend To Have A Baby
A diagnosis of infertility and the possible years of treatments that follow is a hard enough blow for hopeful one-day parents, but what about the blow to their bank accounts?
By Lisa van de GeynOctober 9, 2013
When it comes to the dollars and cents of infertility, the price to become a parent can add up faster than you can say intrauterine insemination. How much do treatments cost? Whats covered by the government and health plans? And who do the masses believe should pay for a person to have their own child?
Read more: Fertility treatments How much would you pay?>
We partnered with EMD Inc. earlier this year to poll our readers on the issues surrounding infertility, and the costs associated with the medical condition was a popular topic. Here are some of the most common and surprising things readers reported on the financial side of a diagnosis of infertility.*Unless noted, the percentages refer to all respondents of the survey those who have used fertility treatments, and those who havent.
84%: say the cost associated with fertility treatments is too high
61%: say theres too little coverage offered from medical plans
44%: say theres a lack of financial support from the government
69%: say governments should provide tax breaks/rebates to people who are undertaking fertility treatments
68%: say governments should provide financial assistance for fertility treatments
38%: paid for fertility treatments using the coverage offered by their medical plans
How Much Does It Really Cost To Have A Baby
We get this question from expecting parents all the time. Whats the average cost of having a baby, and how much can I expect to pay? The answer: it depends.
Factors include where you live, whether or not you have insurance and the details of your plan, and what type of birth you have. Lets break it down.
What do hospitals charge?According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services*, the national median charges for childbirth hospital stays in the United States include $13,524 for delivery and care for the mother and $3,660 for newborn care. That adds up to $16,884.
What are these charges for?
- Your doctors services
- Lab tests for you or your baby
- Your room
- An anesthesiologist, if needed
- Any medications administered, such as an epidural
The type of birth you have plays a big role in your bill, since more complicated births require more care and often come with longer hospital stays. Here are the median costs by birth type:
- Vaginal with no complications $10,958
- Vaginal with complications $13,010
- Cesarean with no complications $18,570
- Cesarean with complications $21,704
So what can I expect to pay? If you have insurance, ask your plan administrator these questions:
- Prenatal vitamins these can get pricey, but your insurance may cover all or part of the cost
- Childbirth classes your hospital may provide a free or low-cost option
- Baby gear that youll want to purchase ahead of time, like clothes, a car seat, a crib, and diapers
Read Also: What Is The Most Sensitive Pregnancy Test
Who Gets Artificial Insemination
Women may undergo artificial insemination if they’re struggling with infertility, or the inability to conceive despite having regular unprotected sex. AI can combat male factor infertility from inadequate sperm count, motility, or maneuverability. It’s also a solution for female infertility from thick cervical mucus, endometriosis, or abnormal reproductive organs. Single women and those in same-sex relationships may also choose artificial insemination a donor sperm is often used in these instances.
Costs Of Using Donor Eggs
If youre using donor eggs as part of your IVF cycle, the price will depend on what options a clinic offers.
Some fertility clinics have relationships with egg cryobanks and/or fresh egg donor agencies and either require or suggest that you work within their system. In that case, the clinic likely will present you with a base price that includes the cost of the eggs and some, but not all, medical expenses.
Frozen donor eggs base cycle fee: $14,000 to $20,000+
Fresh donor eggs base cycle fee: $27,000 to $47,000+
As with non-donor IVF, this fee is a starting point. Ask your clinic what is included in the price of an egg donor cycle and what additional charges to prepare for.
Other clinics allow you to work directly with a cryobank or agency to obtain frozen or fresh eggs. Depending on which bank or agency you choose, you might end up spending less than you would by going directly through a clinic, or you could end up spending more. Its unlikely that the total price will be drastically reduced by separating the fees. You may save a few thousand dollars by finding a cryobank that sells eggs in smaller batches however, starting the IVF process with a lower number of eggs could mean youll end up with fewer viable embryos.
Read Also: Can Pregnant Women Drink Liquid Iv
How To Reduce Maternity Costs
How can parents-to-be protect themselves from super-high medical bills ? Here are some other ways to save on pregnancy costs:
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
Unique Challenges For Lgbtq Couples
Figuring out what insurance will or wont cover is something everyone trying to get pregnant through IUI or IVF has to navigate, queer or straight, single or coupled. Its complicated and it varies dramatically, state to state, insurance plan to insurance plan.
Often, though, its more difficult for queer couples to get insurance to cover fertility treatments.
Insurance doesnt cover baby making for fertile individuals in the same way that it covers it for infertile individuals, said Amanda Winn, of Family Equality Council. Oftentimes theres a six to 12 month period of unsuccessful pregnancy attempts before insurance will cover something like IVF.
Which, if youre doing it as cheaply as possible, using donor sperm, will cost a minimum of about $6,000 for 6 attempts, likely more.
If youre in a heterosexual couple, you can say, well, weve been trying at home for six months, said Ruby, of The Sperm Bank of California. Its a different story for LGBTQ couples.
This issue is coming up more and more, Winn said, as more LGBTQ couples are trying to have children. Were seeing policies starting to drop that or at least wave it for same-sex couples. It felt ubiquitous, I would say even two or three years ago, she said. Were seeing that slowly start to shift.
Don’t Miss: How To Find Out How Far Along You Are Pregnant
What Does It Cost In A Private Hospital
Almost 30% of women choose to have a private obstetrician and to give birth in a private hospital. Some women might have a private obstetrician and birth in a public hospital if their doctors have a special agreement with that hospital.
Depending on where you live, the cost of giving birth privately can vary between $2,000 and $10,000.
Medibank Private figures from 2015 show the average bill for giving birth to a baby in a private hospital was $8,500.
Why is it more expensive to give birth privately, even with private health insurance?
Private health insurance funds arent allowed to cover out of hospital care. This includes antenatal appointments with your obstetrician, ultrasounds, and pathology tests. Anaesthetists and surgical assistants fees are also not covered.
The amount you will be out of pocket will depend on whether, and by how much, your obstetrician charges above the Medicare Scheduled Fee. Obstetricians also charge a pregnancy management fee, which can be $2,000 to $5,000. You will also be charged an accommodation fee for the length of time you stay in the private hospital.
To ensure your baby is covered by your health insurer, you will need to update your policy to a family policy. If your birth is normal and your baby is well, the baby wont be admitted to hospital and wont need cover.
The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman says parents-to-be should be aware health insurers have clamped down on the following conditions:
Pros:
Cons:
How Do Costs For Sperm Vary
Some sperm banks charge a fee, such as $50 for three months, to peruse their full catalog of donors. This allows you to see things like pictures and other information for their donors. Some sperm costs more than other sperm. Many banks have premium donors who have undergone rigorous genetic testing, and using their sperm may cost more.
There are often different price tags based on quality, meaning how active the swimmers are. The more active the sperm cells the higher the cost. If your family plans to use a sperm donor without other corresponding fertility treatments, it is often recommended that you use higher quality sperm. This may increase the cost of donor sperm. If using a sperm donor along with other assisted reproductive techniques there is less of a need for high motility.
Some sperm banks charge a fee for washed versus unwashed sperm. When sperm is washed, the sperm cells are separated from the rest of the seminal fluid. Sperm washing can be necessary when donor sperm is used in conjunction with A.R.T. However, it is not always necessary when used with ICI and IUI. Costs are typically the same whether a donor is open identity or completely anonymous.
Read Also: How To Dress When Pregnant
