How to Pay for Infertility Drugs

Infertility drugs can help couples have a baby.

Infertility is a common medical problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2 million married women are infertile. Various forms of treatment exist to help infertile couples conceive, and many treatments involve the use of medications. Unfortunately, many insurance plans to do not cover the necessary infertility drugs. Couples have several different options to finance infertility treatments that may cost hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

Instructions

1. Ask your infertility doctor for help. Many doctors can offer patients sample infertility drugs at no cost or at a greatly reduced cost. A fellow patient may donate leftover medications for other patients to use after a successful cycle. The doctor then can offer a limited amount of the infertility medications to patients currently undergoing treatment. If you are doing a cycle that requires little medication, this is one way to help pay for the cost of infertility drugs.

2. Research available medical plans at work. Some medical plans offer infertility coverage that may include various types of treatment up to and including IVF. Infertility coverage often includes coverage for infertility medications for a low copay. Contact your human resources department. A representative should be able to walk you through all possible health plan options. You may be able to switch health insurance plans or plan in advance to sign up for a plan that has better infertility coverage once open enrollment begins. You then can time your cycle to coincide with your medical coverage.

3. Find out if you can use a less expensive option. Some brands of fertility drugs are cheaper than others but work equally well. Your doctor can help you decide which medications will be optimal for your treatment while offering lower costs.

4. Investigate shared medication options. Some IVF clinics let patients share medication costs during a specific cycle. A clinic may allow patients cycling together to pool their costs and share IVF drugs. Doing so can help you reduce the cost of fertility drugs.

5. Research finance options. Infertility medications can add thousands of dollars in costs to an IVF cycle. Some IVF clinics and drug manufacturers offer patients payment plans to help. Potential options include direct loans and home equity loans. Infertility drugs are considered a medical expense. As a result they may be tax deductible under certain circumstances. This can help keep down the overall expense of the medications.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Infertility Statistics
• Kaiser Family Foundation: Mandated Coverage of Infertility Treatment