Infertility treatment is expensive and seldom covered by health insurance, leaving many fertility patients having to pay for treatment out of pocket. Saving money for fertility treatment is high on everyone’s mind.
One of the first places to look is at the affordability programs and loans offered by infertility clinics.
Affordability Programs Offered by Fertility Clinics
- Multi-Cycle IVF Packages With or Without the Possibility of Refund: The patient receives a discount when pre-paying for a specific number of fresh and frozen in vitro fertilization cycles. Many clinics offer the package plans offered by either one of several national groups, such as Attain or ARC, although some clinics that are not members of these networks also offer their own in-house packages. Multi-cycle programs can be bought with or without a refund, also known as a money back guarantee. If the allotted IVF cycles don’t result in a live birth, patients are refunding most or all of their money, giving them the resources to try again. Note that the availability of these programs may depend on your age, diagnosis, and the likelihood of success with infertility treatment.
- Bundled IVF Packages: Primarily offered through WINfertility, a bundled IVF package includes all the different costs of an IVF cycle, from the doctor’s fees to the medication to the lab work, at a fixed, discounted rate. This assures patients that there will be no hidden costs to surprise them and allows them to accurately budget for their fertility treatment.
- Some clinics specifically offer low-cost fertility treatment, usually focusing on low stimulation IVF cycles (using less of the ovulatory stimulation drugs), natural IVF cycles (relying on the woman’s naturally produced hormones, thus saving money on the costly fertility drugs), or keeping a strict eye on every cost in order to offer lower-cost IVF. Creating a Family has extensive resources on lower cost IVF.
- Sliding Fee Scale for Infertility Treatment: Many clinics offer a discount for patients making below a set amount of annual income. We have found no listing of such programs; therefore, you will need to contact each clinic you are considering and ask about this option. Note that the availability of this option may be dependent of the patient’s age and likelihood of success with infertility treatment.
- Participating in an IVF research program: When a research program needs participants, the cost of the fertility treatment is usually covered. We have found no listing of such research programs; therefore, you will need to contact each clinic you are considering and ask if they need participants in ongoing research.
Fertility Treatment Loans
- Unsecured Loan from Infertility Clinics: Many fertility clinics offer loans or financing options to cover treatment. Many participate in either the financing program offered by one of several national groups such as Advanced Reproductive Care (ARC) financing program or the Attain Financing program. Restrictions on age or likelihood of success may apply. Your interest rate will depend on your credit score. The cost of using donor egg is usually covered.
- Secured or Unsecured Loan for Fertility Treatment from a Bank: Check with a local bank about the availability of a loan to cover infertility treatment. Usually secured loans, such as a home equity loan, will have better interest rates. You may also be able to get better interest rates if someone with deeper pockets co-signs the loan for you. Your interest rate will depend on your credit score.
Creating a Family has resources on infertility clinic discount programs. A few we think you will find particularly helpful are:
- Grants for Fertility Treatment & Affordability Programs Offered by Infertility Clinics (1 hr radio interview with experts)
- Discounts, Refunds, and Loans Offered by Infertility Clinics (8 min. video)
Many more Creating a Family radio interviews with experts, videos, blogs, fact sheets, and Q and A’s with Experts on fertility clinic discount programs can be found at the icons below.
Image credit: Tax Credits
Additional Resources
Creating a Family Radio Shows on Clinic Discount Programs
Creating a Family Blogs on Clinic Discount Programs
Creating a Family Factsheets, Tips on Clinic Discount Programs
Creating a Family Videos on Clinic Discount Programs
Q and A's with Experts on Clinic Discount Programs