Many couples trying to conceive find it very difficult to find health insurance coverage that directly pays for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Most insurance plans do not provide this type of coverage, and many couples must pay for these expensive treatments out of their own pocket. There are some creative ways to use supplemental insurance to help offset IVF costs. One supplemental insurance program may pay an extra bonus for IVF twins.

IVF Insurance Hard to Get

Most couples considering this procedure have no health insurance coverage that specifically covers IVF. State mandates have loopholes, and 35 states have no mandate at all. So many couples must fund the treatment costs out of their own pocket. They face the added risk of: what happens to our finances if we experience a complicated pregnancy after paying all this money out of pocket for our IVF?

Fifteen states mandate some form of coverage. For those lucky couples with IVF coverage, financial concerns remain: what happens if mom misses extensive time from work, and what happens if the health coverage has hospital deductibles and co pays?

In Vitro Fertilization costs can range from $10,000 to $15,000 per cycle. For those without insurance coverage these costs remain, in addition to the normal costs associated with pregnancy, maternity leave, feeding, clothing, and raising a child.

IVF Multiples Common

IVF embryos are created in a Petri dish. A woman and her doctor determine the number of embryos to be transferred back to her uterus. The more embryos transferred, the greater the chance of pregnancy. The more embryos transferred, the greater the chance of a multiple birth.

The average single pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, but a twin pregnancy often lasts between 35 to 37 weeks. Nearly half of all twins are born prematurely (before 37 weeks), and the risk of having a premature delivery increases with triplets, quads, etc.

Premature babies can have numerous health concerns. Because the needs of premature babies are so acute, preemies are often placed in a Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after delivery.

Supplemental Insurance Funds IVF

Supplemental Insurance is worth considering before beginning IVF treatments. It pays benefits directly to the insured, not to the doctors or hospitals as with traditional insurance. It pays a benefit for your normal labor and delivery, and the benefit may greatly exceed the premium you pay. Use the excess to offset a portion of your IVF costs.

Bonus for IVF Multiple Birth

The value of Supplemental Insurance shines through when you consider the additional protection that comes along with your benefit for normal delivery. You are also covered for accidents, illnesses, and pregnancy complications. But the greatest value becomes evident when you consider the odds of a multiple pregnancy.

Put the above all together for your IVF twins bonus: IVF is more likely to result in multiple pregnancies, multiple pregnancies are more likely to result in premature delivery, and premature birth is likely to result in sickness for the newborn(s). Therefore, Supplemental Insurance is likely to pay an additional benefit for each of your twins, triplets, etc.

For example, a policy with a $3,000 hospital admission benefit would pay $3,000 for mom’s confinement, plus an additional $6,000 for twins confined to the NICU, and $9,000 for triplets confined to the NICU. When you see what the coverage costs you will be amazed.