Health insurance is one of the most vital topics we discuss with intended parents and potential surrogate mothers. Some assume that their spouse’s health coverage will suffice and pay for everything; others believe that their policy won’t reimburse any surrogacy expenses whatsoever. The truth sits in the middle of those two extremes, so it’s wise to explore all surrogacy insurance options.
Maybe you’re not sure whether you can afford surrogacy at all, or perhaps you’d simply like to know what types of insurance are available. This guide will help you navigate through that process of determining the best surrogacy insurance options for you.
Types of medical expenses associated with surrogacy
Surrogacy medical expenses include the cost of prenatal care, postnatal care, and counseling after a surrogate mother gives birth, if necessary. Not only that, but prices can also arise from certain medical complications that typically affect pregnant women. A surrogate mother developing gestational diabetes is one example, yet postpartum depression is another potential complication.
The actual cost of the medical expenses varies based on how the pregnancy proceeds, which is also why the medical screening process is so thorough. The idea is to safeguard the surrogates health as well as the unborn childs well-being.
Nevertheless, everyday medical expenses include in-vitro fertilization treatments, fertility medications, egg donation services, and egg freezing services. Additionally, surrogates are entitled to receive standard maternity care like a normal pregnancy, including regular check-ups.
What are the best surrogacy insurance options to cover a surrogates medical expenses?
The correct answer varies from situation to situation. Your current policy may suffice to pay for a substantial portion of expenses, yet it’s not a guarantee.
While its not a hard rule, most insurance companies wont pay for the in-vitro fertilization treatments.
The best surrogacy insurance options include enough coverage for services like transferring the embryo to the surrogate, a different procedure from the initial IVF treatments. Its also wise to determine if insurer will cover donated eggs because some policies exclude those services.
A surrogate may carry her own health insurance, but that’s not always the case. Often, the intended parents must use their insurance if they can’t pay out-of-pocket for the entire cost of the surrogacy arrangement, including the surrogate’s base compensation.
The bottom line is that most health policies won’t reimburse all expenses, although they may cover a more considerable amount than you might assume. That’s why intended parents may choose to add a rider onto their health policy to cover the surrogate for a specific time, which may be the most affordable surrogacy insurance option.
Surrogacy insurance options for intended parents
Health policies come in a wide variety, yet most will pay for at least a portion. Once you reach those limits, you’ll have to pay the rest yourself. Some health policies might only compensate for maternity care, while others may offer more benefits like no co-payments to see out-of-network physicians. Nevertheless, the most expensive treatments will be fertility procedures, and a standard insurance policy most likely won’t cover them.
The exclusions and benefits sheets of all health insurance policies will explain in detail what categories of health services the coverage includes. A typical example is dental and vision care, which lower priced insurance policies don’t have. The same principle applies to a surrogate’s medical care, so if the policy is slim, it may not be wise to primarily use the surrogate’s coverage.
If you want to add a rider to your health policy, its best to contact your insurance provider to see your options, yet you can expect most health insurers to charge a premium for surrogate coverage. For instance, you can find a surrogate maternity liability insurance plan from Universal Family Insurance, which comes with premiums between $4,200 and $10,350. Still, another viable choice is a short-term surrogate policy from ART Risk, which cost about $2,400.
Overall, thats a basic rundown of your surrogacy insurance options. Ready to start your surrogacy journey, contact us here with any questions.
About SurrogateFirst
At SurrogateFirst, we’re a boutique surrogate agency specializing in quickly matching intended parents around the world with our fully-vetted, exceptional surrogates.
We help individuals and couples, regardless of race or sexual orientation, build their families through the miracle of surrogacy.
Every team member at SurrogateFirst is either a former intended parent or an experienced surrogate herself. We also have first-hand knowledge of what it takes to have an incredible, successful surrogate journey.
