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10 opinions for Infertility in Insurance - a Privilege or a Right?

• Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader
  Jan 29, 2008 at 1:59 pm

  Wow, that’s a good, tough question Gabrielle. Even though infertility is a medical condition, with all the problems surrounding adequate health insurance these days I’m inclined to say no, let’s make sure the health insurance resources are spread out among illness, sickness, life-or-death situations, etc., first. But, then I think about all the non-life-or-death situations that some health insurance already covers - reconstructive surgery and the such, for example. So, I voted “Yes, within very specific parameters.” For now, I feel that having infertility coverage should definitely be an option when a woman or family is purchasing a health insurance policy. I’m not quite sure enough to voice my opinion on whether or not it should be automatic, though.

• Gabrielle
  Feb 1, 2008 at 11:55 am

  It is a tough question. I’m just not convinced that health insurance resources are going to where they should go now. As you said, there are so many things that I would consider elective that are covered and things I see as essential that aren’t. The decisions seem to be so arbitrary. And, I am guessing that what one person sees as life or death is very different from someone else - depending upon which medical conditions have affected them or their families. Thank you for your thoughtful input, Alicia.

• Kelly
  Feb 1, 2008 at 1:08 pm

  The question is “Do you think health INSURANCE should cover infertility treatments.” Health insurance is something I PAY for so I think MY health insurance coverage should pay for MY fertility treatments. Infertility is NOT a choice. Neither is cancer, diabetes, or heart disease, yet these illnesses are treated for insured or uninsured patients. When my husband and I were in the midst of our infertility journey (now we are the parents of twins) there were times I’d rather have been dying of cancer than subject to live my life without a child. Many studies have proven that a women diagnosed with infertility experiences the same level of depression as a woman diagnosed with cancer. Our infertility treatment was not covered by our insurance, but our insurance company paid a high price when our twins were born 10 weeks premature. It would have been cheaper for them to pay for our treatments and required us to minimize the number of embryos transfered as our NICU hospital bills were more than $400,000 vs. one IVF of $10-15k. Premature birth is a health crisis that continues to rise each year in some part, but not only, due to infertility treatments. It would benefit the insurance companies to step-up and take action to minimize the health care burden of prematurity caused by infertility treatments.

• Gabrielle
  Feb 1, 2008 at 1:55 pm

  Thank you, Kelly. You know, I never even thought about the premature issue. Never even thought about it. Which is so odd since I constantly go on a tirade that health insurance pays for no preventive weight loss or wellness programs yet will happily shell out for someone’s gastric bypass surgery (but only if a person is dangerously obese, which, in one of my family member’s cases, encouraged her to GAIN weight in order to take advantage of her coverage.)

• Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader
  Feb 1, 2008 at 4:16 pm

  “…there were times I’d rather have been dying of cancer than subject to live my life without a child.”

  Wow. As someone who’s experienced the devastation cancer causes the victim and the family/loved ones, and as someone who’s terrified of her family history of cancer, I can’t fathom choosing that kind of physical and emotional pain, not to mention life-loss, as opposed to being childless. Not even lightly.

  Yes, the question was “Do you think health INSURANCE should cover infertility treatments?” and I chose the option “Yes, within very specific parameters” hoping it would cover my opinion that I think it should at least be offered as an add-on. Regardless of whether it’s automatically on there, or on there because the policyholder has added it, if it’s on there it’s considered part of that policyholder’s INSURANCE.

  As far as covering “prematurity caused by infertility treatments,” I certainly think it should.

  Gabrielle - I once had health insurance that sort of covered preventative weight loss/had a wellness program. It paid for gym memberships and the such. I believe that was the extent of it, though.

• Gabrielle
  Feb 1, 2008 at 4:49 pm

  Alicia, I tend to agree with you regarding the cancer statement.

  But as someone who has experienced both, I can say with certainty that I definitely felt more support and public acceptance as a little bald girl than I do as an adult infertile woman.

  I am so lucky in that I have finally found a group of strong and wonderful women online (many of whom I will meet in person soon) who give me (and others) the support and information that has been so absent up until now. But that wasn’t easy to find - at least not when I went in search of it a year or two ago.

  Alternately, as a childhood cancer survivor, I have more support groups and networks than I can keep track of. (I’m not complaining.)

• Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader
  Feb 1, 2008 at 5:11 pm

  “…I definitely felt more support and public acceptance as a little bald girl than I do as an adult infertile woman.”

  Oh, Gabrielle. *hugs* That is such a profound statement that really says a lot about our society. Well, know that you have my support and acceptance!

• Gabrielle
  Feb 1, 2008 at 6:11 pm

  :)

  I forgot to mention how much I value that from the B5 community. Thanks, Alicia. :)

• Kelly
  Feb 1, 2008 at 6:47 pm

  Alicia-I didn’t mean to offend and I apologize if I did so. Without insurance coverage for everyone, those couples without the financial means will be forced to live childless - this is not fair! I do know people with cancer and understand that it is a terrible disease. But I personally would not have wanted to live a childless life. It would have taken me years of counseling and a life-time of medication and with my personality I’m not sure I could have lived a happy life. We all struggle with infertility differently.

  Gabrielle it is too bad there is still a stigma attached to the term “infertile.” Have you utilized RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association? RESOLVE is a great organization that offers supportfor women and couples http://www.resolve.org - there’s support out there it is just more secretive than it should be.

• Gabrielle
  Feb 1, 2008 at 6:54 pm

  Absolutely! RESOLVE is a real resource - one that I talk about a lot here.

  Thank you, Kelly, for sharing your story and your thoughts.

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