Many intended parents are surprised to learn that one of the costs they should consider when preparing for surrogacy is medical insurance for the surrogate mother. In general, most health insurance will not cover the costs associated with surrogate pregnancies, making it necessary to either pay these expenses out of pocket or purchase supplemental health insurance — but there are exceptions. That’s why it’s essential to work with your surrogacy agency, like the team at Western Fertility Institute to find out what is covered and what is not. They will help you contact your provider to find out if IVF, pregnancy expenses and other aspects of surrogacy are covered since it varies from policy to policy.
Determining the ins and outs of medical insurance for a surrogate pregnancy can be tricky and confusing. Here are some of the things you should know about medical insurance for your surrogate mother — from the infertility treatments to the birth of your child.
Is Surrogacy Covered by Insurance?
There may be two aspects of surrogacy covered by health insurance:
- Infertility treatments: There are 15 states that have enacted laws requiring medical insurance to cover the cost of infertility treatments. However, to find out if your surrogate’s insurance covers this, you will have to research your individual policy.
- Surrogate’s pregnancy: Because of the growing number of surrogate pregnancies, many insurance policies specify that they will only cover pregnancies within the family, not one achieved through surrogacy. If your policy does not include this clause, then they are required to cover all costs as they would with a traditional pregnancy.
Certain aspects of the surrogacy process will definitely not be covered by insurance, so parents should plan ahead for the costs associated with these, such as the transfer of the egg or embryo to your surrogate.
Covering the Costs Not Covered by Insurance
If any of the surrogacy costs are not covered by insurance, then these expenses will have to be covered by the intended parents. Medical costs in the U.S. grow higher each year, so this amount may be quite substantial. However, supplemental insurance can be purchased ahead of time to help cover these expenses.
Even these insurance policies can be pricey, though, with premiums in the $10,000 range and deductibles as high as $15,000 if it’s a single child pregnancy. Your third party representative at Western Fertility Institute will guide you through this entire process.
If you’ve decided to pursue a surrogate pregnancy, then there will be other costs associated with this process besides that of medical expenses. You may want to consider options that will help you garner funds ahead of time, such as:
- Loans
- Fundraising or crowdfunding
- Grants
- Other methods to save money
For More Information, Contact Western Fertility Institute
Before you begin the surrogacy process, it’s important to understand exactly what your insurance will or will not cover. At Western Fertility Institute, our team can help you answer these questions by contacting your insurance provider. We know which questions to ask so that you are fully aware of the extent of the costs you will be responsible for. This will help you budget and prepare ahead of time. Contact Western Fertility Institute today to find out how to begin the surrogacy process.