Coping Financially
IVF is expensive, there's no getting around that fact. Unfortunately, infertility is a non-discriminatory problem that doesn't affect only wealthy people. While some couples are fortunate enough to be able to absorb the costs of IVF without too much stress, most are likely to find expense of this treatment a significant financial burden - especially if they don't have insurance. There is hope, however! Many IVF clinics realize that couples need help to pay for their treatment, and have therefore come up with payment packages and schemes to lessen the financial impact. There are also companies that provide special loans specifically for IVF treatment, as well as certain insurance policies which do cover infertility.
Infertility Insurance
The existence of infertility insurance probably won't interest you if you didn't have this insurance before you found out about your fertility problem. However, before couples who do have infertility cover in their health package get too excited, the fact is that in most cases, the infertility clause excludes IVF.
Non-coverage of IVF treatment is a relatively common practice among all but the most expensive insurance companies. However - this has, in the past, been challenged successfully in court.
If you do have infertility cover but your insurance provider is telling you they won't pay for IVF, it may be worth consulting a legal expert. Bear in mind, however, that a court case also costs money - so it may be a matter of weighing up your financial priorities if your insurance company tells you that it's unable to help.
Payment Plans
Many IVF clinics have caught on to the idea that if they don't make paying the costs of IVF easier, then they'll do a lot a less business. Some have therefore devised various payment schemes aimed at lightening the load for IVF couples. These include, for example:
Payment packages - a selection of treatments are combined and paid for in one package. This allows the clinic to offer discounts on certain treatments included in the package, and even on subsequent cycles of IVF treatment, should the initial treatment fail.
Payment by monthly installments - some clinics allow couples to break down their IVF costs into more manageable monthly payments, which they can continue to make even after the treatment has finished. For many couples, this is the only way that IVF treatment is financially possible.
Payment by deposit - for couples who are worried about getting into debt at the clinic, the clinic may accept deposits of money, which are then used up as the treatment progresses. If there is no money left in the account, the next stage of the treatment doesn't happen until the couple deposits more money.
IVF Loans
Some money-lending companies specialize in loans to IVF couples. Such companies can be found online, but it's important to check out their credentials before getting into any sort of financial commitment.
Shop Around
Basically, when it comes to coping financially with IVF, you need to shop around and consider all your options. Perhaps it's worth while travelling to a clinic further away that provides a better financial plan than the clinic next door - but remember to factor in your travel costs when making this decision!
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