We had some insurance coverage and some savings. We did 3 IUIs and 1 IVF. If we needed more IVF, we would have done shared risk at Shady Grove. |
Our insurance pays for everything except PGS testing and the employer chips in for that as well. |
- meds done here at home |
OP where do you live? How long have you been trying? Have you ever been pregnant? |
We did this and at the time (5 yrs ago) it was like $20k + $5k for meds. so yes still expensive, but not like paying for cycle after cycle. At least some financial certainty when everything else was so uncertain. We paid the $25k from savings. |
Our insurance has no fertility coverage so we were also out of pocket.
We self financed from savings, but I know people who have done the following: 1. Borrowed against thrift savings plan (government employee) 2. Taken personal loan without interest from family member 3. Get a job at Starbucks, which covers IVF 4. Scrimp and save 5. Put it on a zero APR credit card and pay it down |
Go to Thailand, lovely vacation and great and cheap medical care. |
Insurance paid for a good portion but then the next year, IVF coverage was eliminated so we did Shady Grove shared risk. Took out loan against 401(k) and took out a HELOC to pay for shared risk but it was worth the savings.
If you can establish residency in Maryland, then you can enroll in an exchange plan that covers IVF - not sure about coverage for IVF meds or donor egg coverage under a Maryland exchange plan though. |
Hugs to all who are trying to figure out how to afford this. The point of shared risk programs (and if you ask other providers, they are usually willing to match Shady Grove - they just don't broadcast it) is if you don't get a baby, then you will get a refund so that you can use that toward an adoption. |
Moved to MD. Got insurance from healthcare.gov that covered IVF. That was a few years back though. |
Insurance covered most of my IVF. It’s now mandated in some states. Before that, some friends parents pitched in for their fertility treatments. Our parents also offered to help but luckily I had good coverage through my employer before coverage was mandated. |
I got a 0 apr credit card for 18 months and paid it off slowly, got alot of donations for meds by joining some local groups and making friends who had insurance coverage give me their meds. |
I’m a government employee and have no insurance coverage. I will be taking a loan from my TSP, and using part of our savings. I can only afford one cycle, but I’m okay with that. |
We had excellent insurance |
My insurance paid for some of the IVF but then we had to go to surrogacy which is horribly expensive. We have no savings besides 401k, drive 20 year old cars, bought a way cheap house to cut on mortgage, have taken no vacations and don’t really eat out. Thankfully our surrogate is pregnant so at least were broke and happy. |