Once your fertility specialist recommends in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, you probably want to know what IVF costs, what may be covered by insurance, what programs exist that make the cost more manageable, and what financing options you may have.
There are three types of in vitro fertilization costs:
1. MD consult and testing. Your consultation and testing fees will probably range from $1,500 to $3,500. The great news is that, if you have health insurance, it may cover all or part of these expenses.
2. Medications. Depending on your treatment plan, medications typically range from $2,500 to $4,000 per treatment cycle.
3. Treatment. The national average for the cost of IVF is $10,000 per fresh (IVF) cycle and $3,500 per frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle.* Your in vitro fertilization prices will vary depending on your practice’s location, your age, and your customized treatment plan.
What’s important to keep in mind when looking at IVF costs is that you’ll probably need to go through more than one treatment cycle. The costs can stack up very quickly.
You can either pay as you go for IVF treatment or enroll in a course-of-treatment program, like the Attain® IVF Programs, where you pay a single, discounted fee for multiple tries.
- The refund programs gives you up to six tries (three fresh and three frozen). It costs, on average, $24,000 – which is about 40% less than the equivalent pay-as-you-go six-cycle treatment plan of $40,500. If you're unsuccessful, you get a refund of up to 100%. Patients in programs like this generally need to meet certain criteria to participate.
- Attain IVF also offers a non-refund program – called the Attain IVF Multi-Cycle Program – for all IVF patients whose doctor recommends IVF. This option includes four tries (two fresh and two frozen) for $18,000, which is about 30% less than the equivalent pay-as-you-go four-cycle treatment plan of $27,000.*
Many fertility clinics offer course-of-treatment programs like this to help make the cost of IVF more manageable while increasing your chance of having a baby.
IVF and insurance
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for what your health insurance may cover. Some states mandate some form of infertility treatment coverage while others do not. Coverage also varies depending on your health insurance plan.
Your fertility center’s finance counselor will be a great resource in helping you understand what’s covered and how you can maximize any benefits you have.
Financing the cost of IVF
Even if you have limited insurance benefits and take part in a program like Attain IVF, you may need help covering in vitro fertilization costs. There are a number of options available to you, such as using an existing line of credit, taking out a home equity loan, borrowing from a retirement or investment account, or getting a patient financing loan.
What’s important is that you look at what the real cost of IVF will be for you, assess what your outstanding financial needs may be, and then make appropriate financial arrangements. By taking care of the financial aspects of IVF treatment up front, you’ll be able to reduce stress about the cost of IVF and will be more likely to stay the course of treatment… and increase your chance of having a baby.
* Estimates use a national average of $10,000 per IVF cycle and $3,500 FET.
