Funding the Babychase: How to Pay for Infertility Treatments

• If you were thinking of changing jobs, consider infertility coverage when weighing offers.

• Start building savings earmarked for treatment as soon as possible. If you end up getting pregnant without treatment, you have a head start on your child’s college fund.

• Ask about package deals. Some clinics offer a discount for patients willing to buy three treatments at once. It’s a bit of a gamble. A woman who gets pregnant on the first attempt would have been better off paying for one treatment at a time. But for a woman who needs three procedures to get pregnant, the package deal is a money saver.

• Ask about a money-back guarantee. Some clinics will refund some of your money if you do not get pregnant. This is sometimes called “shared risk” and is often paired with a package deal. Women with serious fertility problems may not be eligible.

• Some banks offer financing programs specifically for healthcare, including infertility. For example, Capital One provides loans up to $25,000, with an interest rate based on credit history. Payments may be spread over as many as five years. For someone with good credit, borrowing the highest amount, the monthly payment would be about $530.

• Consider other loan possibilities, such as a home equity line of credit or borrowing from your 401K. Shop around until you are confident you are borrowing money as cheaply as possible.

• Prices for fertility drugs have come down in recent years because of competition among several companies, all of which have package deals and other incentives. Ask your nurse to help you get the best price for your treatment.

• You may qualify for a clinical trial. Check the Resolve Web site  and ask your doctor. In some cases, the company will pay the full cost of treatment. In other cases, the drugs or parts of the procedure may be covered. Educate yourself on the risks of the trial before signing on.

• Consider leaving the country for treatment. Whitley looked into Spain. South Africa is a destination for “reproductive tourism,” and some couples are going to Ukraine. Factor in all costs including airfare, hotel, and dining to make sure the procedure will end up being cheaper. Also, research the international clinic’s success rates, which may not be as high as in the United States.