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No two paths toward parenthood are the same. While some intended parents need conventional IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection or assisted hatching, others may need third-party egg donors or surrogates to have a baby.
Because of this variability, there’s no “one size fits all” cost that intended parents should expect to pay. Rather, understanding which services you need and what you’re ready to commit to will give you accurate financial expectations.
Regardless of what you’re pursuing, feeling financially prepared can give you peace of mind on your fertility journey. Many fertility clinics offer ancillary financial resources, payment plans and subsidized payments for those who apply.
Still, it can be confusing and overwhelming as you evaluate your family building options and their accompanying costs. If you’re unsure of which package or set of services to purchase, carefully consider your priorities and constraints with the outcomes.
We believe that the gift of family is priceless, and preparing you for this journey (emotionally and financially) should be your fertility clinic’s top priority.
Fertility treatment is expensive, there’s no doubt about it. Still, finding a clinic that is “reasonably” priced can mean the difference between being able to, or not being able to, access fertility care for many.
As you’re researching clinics, it can become clear which clinics are more concerned with making money rather than making families. Does your clinic offer payment plans or financing options? Do they accept insurance? If money seems more important than care, the clinic’s priorities may not be in the right place.
If you’re struggling with finances and fertility, yet wish to conceive on your own, there are many fertility clinics that provide financial support. These may include payment plans, discounts, and pro-bono work if you meet the clinic’s financial qualifications.
However, understanding the full scope of treatment pricing and support provided will be essential in determining which fertility clinic is right for you, and where you should stop considering. Let’s review three important considerations when you’re deciding how you’ll finance your future family members.
Some fertility clinics partner with fertility treatment loan providers, such as CapexMD, to make financing your fertility treatment less worrisome. Depending on where you’re receiving fertility treatments, you may have the option to take out loans that cover everything -- including fertility drugs, PGD/PGS/PGT-A, egg donors, and more.
When you take out loans from companies specifically tailored to fertility treatment, you’ll receive a fertility financing specialist to address your every concern and worry. If you’re using a third-party provider, such as an egg donor or surrogate, you can incorporate all of your fees within a single loan, or individually. Then, your loan provider typically disburses your loan proceeds to each of your payments as directed by you.
Additionally, this option provides you with customizable loan programs with highly competitive rates that include a variety of loan types. PFCLA and CapexMD partner together to provide you with stress-free fertility financing, and your financial coordinator at our clinic will work closely with your Fertility Loan Specialists to ensure that your funds are secured on time and your treatment is not delayed. Together, we can make sure financial issues do not get in the way of your dream of having a baby.
The path toward parenthood is often filled with bumps, and individuals struggling with infertility know the emotional toll it takes. Not to mention the process is exhausting, worrisome, and full of confusing jargon that often leaves you feeling overwhelmed and confused.
Often, you can access one, two or three rounds of fertility treatment through different packages. Due to the variable nature of each treatment and the necessary supplements, the cycle costs will vary in the number of services provided. Speaking to your fertility specialist about this is your best option to determine which pricing option is best for your individual goals and aspirations. Because you can purchase fertility packages that are inclusive of multiple rounds of services (unlimited egg transfers, unlimited IVF), the additional services are heavily discounted and the intended parents receive a much better value than one single cycle, which is not discounted.
For intended parents using a surrogate or an egg donor, they may be interested in PFCLA’s Peace of Mind Program which is one fee to cover costs for IVF, surrogacy, and/or egg donation --including donor and surrogate compensation, travel, legal, insurance, medications, genetic testing, etc. This fixed fee program helps intended parents avoid any unexpected expenses.
Initiated by the Pacific Fertility Center of Los Angeles, many fertility clinics around the world now offer an unlimited cycle plan that guarantees infertility treatment until live birth. Let’s go over the pricing plans at PFCLA to understand what your options might look like at other fertility clinics.
Single-cycle: When two intended parents are undergoing IVF with a surrogate and egg donor, they will typically have the option to choose from multiple plans. On the lowest tier, the IPs can consider one single cycle of IVF that includes one retrieval and one transfer. However, if the initial attempt is unsuccessful, the couple will need to purchase another round of IVF.
Single-cycle, Unlimited transfers: If the couple selects the middle-tier option, they will receive one IVF cycle and unlimited transfers, meaning that if the first embryo transfer attempt is unsuccessful, the remaining attempts (until the quality embryo supply is depleted) will be covered by your clinic. This is a good option if you’re seeking less risk in this investment but don’t wish to pay for unlimited retrievals.
Unlimited IVF until Live Birth: First spearheaded by PFCLA, many fertility clinics have now adopted an “Unlimited IVF until Live Birth” pricing package option. This allows the IPs and donors to undergo IVF until live birth or successful conception, guaranteeing the experience of leaving the hospital with your child. Picking this package allows the couple and the clinic to share the risk associated with IVF, and mitigates much of the financial risk associated with infertility treatment. At PFCLA, this plan covers IVF treatment until live birth.
The unlimited IVF plan allows intended parents and the clinic to share the financial risk of fertility treatment, pay for multiple plans upfront to receive heavily discounted rates, and have additional attempts to reach your goals if the treatment isn’t successful at first.
Although we wish for the most-stress free, smooth fertility journey for all of our patients, this is not always the case. We want to set you up for success, regardless of uncontrollable circumstances. Unlimited pricing plans prevent these mishaps from derailing your path toward parenthood, even if it takes longer than expected.
Additionally, when paying for the more expensive (yet comprehensive) package, you’re avoiding the possibility of needing to make additional payments for additional cycles. It can make much more sense for some couples to purchase the all-inclusive unlimited IVF cycle plan for $46,000 over the single-cycle plan for $25,000 in basic fees, especially if the couple has experienced ongoing infertility and is concerned their first procedure may not be a success. Keep in mind that the $25,000 single cycle plan does not include some necessary expenses such as medications, preimplantation genetic screening, etc.
Every fertility clinic will have different pricing options available, but the value of discounted IVF services at scale and the guaranteed peace of mind knowing you’ll be taking your newest family member home is often well worth the investment.
When considering pricing packages at fertility clinics, make sure to ask what’s included (and what’s not included) within their packages for the services you’re seeking. Ask your prospective clinics the following questions to fully understand the packages and pricing plan options to pick the right one for your needs.
Examples of questions to ask your fertility clinics include:
If you are unsatisfied with the level of transparency or support provided while interacting with fertility clinics, make note of this. You should feel encouraged and excited after discussing your fertility pricing plans, regardless of the future hurdles or uncertainties ahead.
Preparation is crucial to family development, and your fertility clinic should support you every step of the way. Getting insight into the questions above will not only help you pick the right fertility clinic, but also identify what your biggest concerns and worries are.
To determine what your insurance covers for infertility treatment, contact your fertility clinic with a picture of your insurance card for the insurance team. They will then contact your provider to find out what coverage looks like, and what you can expect to get covered.
There are 19 states with infertility insurance laws, ten of which have health insurance mandates that require employers to provide coverage for IVF treatments. These states include:
If you live in one of the above states, you might be eligible for infertility treatment. Coverage varies widely, so contacting your employer and insurance company will be essential in determining what you can expect to pay for.
Additionally, the following six states have another fertility insurance mandate which might cover diagnostic testing:
Contacting your insurance provider and employer and researching your own state’s laws will be essential in determining what coverage you will receive. However, understand that insurance coverage for infertility treatment varies widely. Sometimes, it’s very minimal, covering only diagnostic procedures or costs such as frozen storage or sperm phrasing. Sometimes, insurance will cover fertility procedures, but not if you’re using a third-party donor or surrogate.
Other times, insurance will cover everything, but this is less common. It’s encouraged that you contact their employers about enrolling in a fertility coverage agreement with your fertility clinic, which allows the employer to cover a portion of the costs. If this is possible, discounts should apply to the treatments.
Regardless of your current insurance or state of residency, your financial and insurance options should never stop you from realizing your dreams of a family. Your fertility clinic must be present to support you and help you know you are not alone on this journey. Rest assured that hundreds of thousands of individuals undergo IVF treatment, and you will be able to, too.
To find out what your insurance covers and what your next steps are, talk to your fertility clinic and outline the next steps for financial planning. If you don’t currently have a fertility clinic but are searching for the right place, our team at PFCLA would love to support you in any way possible. Contact us today to get started.
For 30 years, people have been choosing the Pacific Fertility Center in Los Angeles. Established in 1991, PFCLA is one of the leading fertility clinics in America. With success rates that are among the best in the nation, we’ve been a part of over 13,500 happy, healthy births.
Whether through IVF or using an egg donor or surrogate, we specialize in guiding intended parents—including LGBTQ+ members—through what can be an emotional and complicated process. Our patients, including celebrities and royalty, come from more than 75 countries to take advantage of our exceptional treatment, support, and discretion. We work with the top egg donor and surrogacy agencies in the country, leading to ideal, curated match recommendations for our intended parents. Simply put, your dreams are our passion. Everything we do is to ensure you have the most rewarding experience possible.
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