Surrogacy Insurance and Medical Coverage

The desire to build a family using surrogacy is a very challenging experience, especially when it comes to the financial aspect of it. Added to the emotional, psychological, and financial stressors for the intended parents, choosing a surrogate insurance policy option can also be stressful, as it involves the welfare and health of the surrogate as well as other added expenditures. Surrogacy is quite complicated with a lot of moving parts, insurance being a very vital part.

What are the options that exist for surrogate insurance as intended parents?

Intended parents need to carry out wide research in order to be better informed on the surrogacy insurance options. This is a great way to successfully navigate the gestational carrier insurance, the expenses, and the other legal considerations that are needed to successfully build a family. When the intended parents are properly informed and have a clear understanding of the surrogate insurance costs, the coverage, and the benefits that are expected, they will be on their way to confidently plan their surrogacy journey while also minimizing any hidden costs that may appear along the way.

Does medical insurance cover surrogacy?

When a woman is carrying her pregnancy, she is usually able to use her insurance cover for the process. However, when a surrogate is involved, the process can become much trickier as the policies and coverage vary greatly across the different insurance providers. It is crucial to be sure that the insurance provider does not exclude surrogate pregnancies from their coverage plans, to cover the surrogate’s pregnancy with the intended couple’s insurance. Some clauses included in insurance plans would also exclude the surrogate’s insurance policy from covering the costs associated with the surrogacy.

In certain cases, insurance agencies will recommend insurance specialists. It is important to consult with them in order to determine the surrogate insurance coverage. These specialists together with the couple can then assess how much insurance coverage can be received by both the surrogate and the intended parents based on their particular case. They can also help in determining if additional coverage would need to be sought, how much extra payments can be expected, and how to manage these payments. Some of the procedures that are and are not generally covered by insurance include:

• Most insurance companies will not cover the cost of any fertility treatment or the subsequent embryo transfer to a surrogate.
• Insurance companies rarely cover in vitro fertilization procedures. Some will offer coverage for only one IVF procedure as part of an infertility benefit, but this is very limited
• Some private health insurance companies may cover the cost of artificial insemination if the surrogate is using her eggs with sperm from the male partner from the intending parents
• Insurance companies do not usually cover the cost of donated eggs. Some private health plans may, however, offer their female workers a benefit that will allow them to retrieve and freeze their eggs
• Some insurance companies may include a specific clause in their plans that exclude medical coverage for surrogate pregnancies. But in the cases where the insurance company does not specifically state the type of pregnancy that will not be covered, they must by law cover the cost that they normally would in the case that it was a traditional pregnancy.
• In the majority of the cases of surrogacy, any cost not covered by the insurance policy will be handled by the intended parents
• It is quite common for the majority of health insurance companies to cover the cost of the pregnancy, but the fertility treatment costs are usually the responsibility of the surrogate or the donor
• Some health insurance companies may, however, offer the option of adding a temporary policy in order to cover the costs of fertility treatments, the surrogate, the labor, and the delivery.

Surrogate’s Insurance Provider

A surrogate may have her own medical insurance coverage and if it doesn’t specifically exclude surrogate pregnancies, the policy may cover part of the service. A backup or a new insurance plan may, however, need to be purchased in the case that her insurance is subject to exclusions. It is also possible for some insurance plans to have a lien for surrogacy where they allow for surrogate maternity coverage, but recoup a portion of their expenses since the surrogacy is compensated, and they feel the intended parents are financially responsible.

Out-of-pocket expenses

This is a usual norm for surrogacy agreements; these costs may come in many forms like costs that are not covered by the insurance policies, co-payments that are required for doctor’s appointments, etc. Some maximums and deductibles are the responsibility of the intended parents. The responsibility for these costs to be covered by the intended parents is also usually included in the original contract that is signed by both parties (surrogate and intended parents). These contracts are created by attorneys and they usually offer an insight into the potential costs that may be encountered, hence providing a comprehensive view of the financial responsibilities.

What is the insurance cost for surrogacy maternity coverage?

It is possible to purchase a comprehensive-surrogacy-specific insurance policy coverage. The cost-effectiveness of this option is usually dependent on the unique circumstance that is surrounding the particular surrogacy case. These plans also tend to be expensive, but they usually cover the surrogate medical costs which would be much more expensive if they were being paid for out-of-pocket. In the case of choosing to get a new insurance policy or opting for an entirely new insurance plan for the surrogate, it is very important to consider if the plan would be accepted at the surrogate’s chosen hospital for her comfort. It is also important to find facilities that are within the surrogate’s defined preferences for all prenatal visits and the delivery that will also accept the insurance policy. This will ensure that there are minimal out-of-pocket costs and that the intended parents do not become responsible for the full amount of medical services or the baby’s hospital care.