How to Speak to Your Employer about Fertility Treatment Coverage

Insurance coverage for infertility treatment varies widely. Your level of coverage can depend on several factors, including the state you live in, your insurance provider and your employer. For those who live in a state like Massachusetts or Maryland, infertility treatment coverage is a state-wide mandate that requires insurance companies to acknowledge infertility as a covered disease. However, other states like Virginia have no state-wide mandate. Washington Fertility Center has locations in Virginia and Maryland, so our team works with patients who have a range of coverage.

Talking to your employer
The experience and process of speaking to your employer about infertility treatment coverage will depend on the type of company you work for, its size and whether you are a federal employee. These factors will determine the type of insurance your employer provides and what they can try to alter to better assist employees. The idea of reaching out to your employer directly can seem daunting, but many companies have human resource (HR) departments which make requests like these an easier, well-documented process.

Resolve, the National Infertility Association has several detailed guides on how to go about requesting fertility treatment coverage:

• Health Insurance 101
• Workplace Coverage Checklist
• Sample Letters to Employers

Why you deserve it
For some, asking for specific insurance coverage can seem like a bold thing to do, but fertility treatment coverage remains elusive for many who are trying to build their families. Many fertility centers, Washington Fertility Center included, work hard to provide patients with financial discounts and packages to help make fertility care more affordable. However, insurance coverage is still an option and the only way to find how is to have a conversation with your employer.

Infertility treatment can be a long process, and the last thing any patient should have to worry about is how to pay for parenthood. Even if it’s intimidating for employees, employers are often looking out for the best interest of the people who work for them, offering to educate them about their insurance plan so they understand the perks of working with the company. Having this in mind when you request fertility treatment insurance coverage can help make the ask less daunting.