Insurance questions about surrogacy are extremely common, and Family Makers spends a lot of time talking to Intended Parents about what is covered and what is not. Medical expenses related to surrogacy can be tens of thousands of dollars. If insurance does not cover claims related to pregnancy as a surrogate, having another health insurance policy in place prior to starting the process is extremely important. So, does insurance cover surrogacy? Keep reading this blog post to learn the answers.
Does My Surrogate’s Insurance Policy Cover Her Medical Screening?
Sometimes.
Medically screening a surrogate includes lab work, a physical, an ultrasound and a psychological consultation. Surrogate pregnancies are different in that the person being tested is not infertile like most fertility center patients. One of the very first things ordered for a potential surrogate are infectious disease and general lab testing. This series of tests look for everything from common STDs to nicotine usage. Because these labs are of a routine or diagnostic nature, many insurance providers will cover these blood tests. Intended Parents should ask their fertility clinic’s billing department for more details to determine if it’s possible.
When it comes to paying for a screening ultrasound, a surrogate’s insurance policy is a little more hesitant to cover. Why? Because we are not trying to diagnose anything, but looking only for screening purposes. There are no problems or issues reported by the patient (surrogate) – so what is the medical purpose for ordering it? Sometimes, insurance companies will cover a procedure simply because the physician orders it. Sometimes, they won’t because the surrogate has not been diagnosed with infertility or pain. Your fertility clinic can give you more guidance on coverage and cost.
Does Insurance Cover Surrogacy Psychological Consultations?
No. Psychological consultations for surrogacy are extremely specific and time intensive appointments. These meetings with a mental health provider are cumulatively 2-3 hours long, and involve very detailed reporting to your surrogacy agency and/or fertility clinic. A personality assessment may also be ordered. There are no billing or coding options for such visits, and so these meetings are on a cash-pay basis ranging from $750 – $1,200 depending on the provider.
Will My Insurance Cover My Surrogate’s IVF Appointments?
Likely not. While there are a few employers like Starbucks and Amazon that reimburse hopeful parents for costs related to surrogacy, as well as a few states like New Jersey who cover some part of infertility treatments, it is uncommon that the fertility treatment process is covered. Insurance policies will not generally pay for someone who isn’t a member on the policy. Because surrogates are not employed by the Intended Parents, nor are they dependents, Intended Parents cannot add surrogates to their policy in order to cover fertility treatments.
Related Post: Surrogate IVF Transfer Tips
Does my Surrogate’s Insurance Policy Cover Pregnancy?
Maybe. Surrogate pregnancies are unique in that the person pregnant will not be the parent of the baby. Because of this, there are specific billing codes for providers to use when overseeing prenatal care of a surrogate mother.
When screened by Family Makers, each surrogate candidate provides her health insurance policy information, if she is already insured. With this information, we partner with ArtRisk Insurance Solutions to verify whether or not the policy will cover maternity care when serving as a surrogate.
What does it mean when people say a health insurance policy is “Surrogacy Friendly”?
If her policy will cover prenatal care, we call that policy “surrogacy friendly.” The health insurance company does not care if someone is a surrogate, and will cover pregnancy claims regardless. That means all appointments performed at the OB should be covered. Labs that are regularly drawn and delivery should be covered. Any complications during pregnancy and birth would be covered. The surrogate is treated like everyone else.
If an insurance carrier frowns on surrogacy, some will not cover pregnancy if someone is receiving payment for being pregnant. That type of policy is “not surrogacy friendly.”
What if my Surrogate’s insurance policy won’t cover pregnancy?
You will be unable to use her policy if it won’t cover prenatal medical care. Luckily in most states, there are options through Healthcare.gov during annual health insurance Open Enrollment. The estimator tool on the website is user friendly and a helpful resource in researching prices for each policy. These policies provide medical coverage for surrogates. Knowing which policies are “surrogate friendly” can be a very complicated matter, and so we partner with ArtRisk Insurance Solutions to confirm which policies are the best options. A policy is selected and the surrogate is enrolled. Premiums are then paid monthly for as long as coverage is needed. Coverage begins once the surrogate begins seeing her OB during pregnancy.
Related Post: How to Pay for Surrogacy
How do I start my surrogacy journey?
If you are a surrogate who is ready to help a family by becoming a gestational carrier to a family in need, you can start your application with us today. A member of our Case Management team will be in touch within 24 hours on the next steps.
Are you a parent who is interested in building your family through surrogacy? Our Owner, Ashlee Hammonds, schedules complimentary consultations to go over your options and our exclusive agency support programs. Contact us today.
