Health insurance for treatment of infertility can be a complicated and sensitive topic. It hurts a lot of people. In the United States, about 6 million women go through the pain of infertility every year. The laws in your state about health insurance may have a lot to do with how much coverage you have. For example, whether or not your employer is required to give you insurance for infertility may depend on your state's laws.
Infertility insurance is hard to find and very expensive because the procedures are so complicated. For example, an in-vitro fertilisation procedure can cost $10,000 or more. Not surprisingly, many insurance companies don't cover infertility at all or only cover it in a very limited way.
There are some things you can do if your health insurance doesn't cover treatment for infertility. First, make sure you read your insurance policy and fully understand it. Some policies only exclude actual treatments, while others also exclude diagnosis.
Find out if you live in a state that requires you to have infertility insurance coverage. New York is one of several states like this. Under the mandate, your state must make sure that fertility insurance is either included in all insurance plans or is available as an add-on for a reasonable price.
When you're looking for health insurance, never say that you're looking for fertility insurance or that this could become a problem in the future. Due to how expensive this coverage is, insurance companies are allowed by law to turn down your application without giving you a reason.
If you are turned down for coverage, you can also argue to your insurance company that fertility coverage is a valid and important medical procedure. To successfully appeal a decision, you should always talk to a lawyer, and you may also need your doctor's help.
And if your insurance company won't pay for it, the good news is that infertility treatment, like most medical procedures, is tax-deductible. This includes the costs of the procedures themselves as well as general doctor visits, drug costs, etc.
