One of the top priorities of individuals and couples seeking to grow their families through assisted reproductive technology is managing the costs of fertility care. Affordable fertility treatment is possible, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Remember, everyone’s financial situation is different, so it’s important for patients to consider their expectations and realities when paying for fertility treatment.
1) How much should I budget for fertility care?
The answer to this will depend on your current treatment plan. If, for example, your doctor recommends intrauterine insemination (IUI), then you can expect to spend between $200 – $2,500 per treatment cycle. This will not include things like testing and medications, so you’ll need to be flexible in considering those costs as well. In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, while more highly effective, is considerably more costly than IUI, with fees ranging from $12,000 – $15,000 per cycle. Again, this price range does not include any medications or additional services that may be needed.
Your fertility clinic can provide specific cost information when requested so you know what kind of fees to expect. Also, patients should connect with their insurance provider to review what is and isn’t covered under their plan. These two actions together should help provide at least a rough idea of what you will be expected to pay during one treatment cycle.
2) When it comes to costs, what should I look for in a fertility clinic?
When it comes to costs, the number one recommendation for finding a fertility clinic is to choose a clinic that is transparent about its fees. Sometimes, fees are not outlined upfront. For example, a clinic may quote a fee for an IVF cycle at $12,000, but the price will not include line items such as fertility medications, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), or frozen embryo transfer (FET). Even though these procedures can contribute to the success of treatment, some fertility clinics consider them “outside” of the actual IVF procedure, and thus don’t include them as part of the quoted price.
This can be extremely frustrating for patients, who are surprised when these sudden additions arise. It can throw a budget off entirely, which puts patients in a very difficult financial situation. According to the Society for Reproductive Medicine (SART), less than 30% of patients are successful their first time. Ask your physician how many retrievals and transfers you are likely to need to find success. As such, when you’re in the early stages of consulting with a fertility clinic, it’s a good idea to ask them for a detailed outline of all expected treatment costs upfront. Their billing department should be able to handle this with ease. You should also always confirm that your clinic works with your insurance plan provider before the first consultation.
3) What if you don’t have insurance or adequate coverage?
Some fertility clinics and organizations offer fertility grants, which patients can apply for. If accepted, patients can receive discounted or free fertility treatments. However, fertility grants are few and far between. In many cases, patients need to fulfill very specific criteria to be considered eligible. While it’s definitely worth applying for fertility grants, patients should not depend on them alone for fertility financing. Loans are another option to consider, which allows patients to pay for fertility care costs over time. However, loans also come with interest, which can make a patient’s overall investment more costly. This is especially true if a patient needs to undergo multiple treatment cycles.
Another option that can help make fertility treatments more affordable is to utilize a fertility treatment package plan, such as Bundl. Fertility treatment packages simplify and reduce costs by pulling together multiple cycles into one upfront sum. Some fertility packages, including Bundl, also offer risk protection, which means that, if treatment is unsuccessful, patients will receive their principal investment back.
The most important thing for patients just starting treatment to remember is that you do have options. Affording IUI and IVF is possible. To see how you can make it work with a fertility treatment package plan, contact Bundl today.