fertility treatments covered by insurance in 13 states

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Oct 24 5:18 PM posted by Team Ricki

For women experiencing fertility issues, sometimes it can feel like you're the only one experiencing the agony of trying to have a baby. But while some may remain silent about their struggles, infertility affects 1 in 8 couples. On the October 24 episode of The Ricki Lake Show, we uncover some of the more common—and uncommon—fertility challenges. Our own @TeamRickiSK (AKA Stacie Krajchir Tom) shared her own journey with Huffington Post. [Read Fertility 3.0: 8 Things You Need To Know] Here's an excerpt:

The past three years our relationship has endured more than most newlyweds face; three natural pregnancies, three miscarriages, three DNC surgeries, a fibroid removal surgery, expensive ongoing acupuncture from the "God of Fertility" Dr. Dao and to boot, our relationship also gained a third wheel which I call the "F word,"-- Fertility. Oh, we also got slightly religious: Huntington Reproductive Center is our church and Dr. Bradley Kolb is our minister.

My entire adult life, I believed I had all the time in the world to have a baby, a successful career, find love and live happily ever after.

After all we have endured and since joining the over-40 fertility community, I no longer have the luxury of living in the "Yes we can " movement the same way I did before experiencing all these baby making setbacks. In some ways, I feel as though I missed the last page of an important memo from my feminist sisters about the slight cost of waiting and wanting to have it all.

For Stacie and many other women, the desire to have a baby comes at great cost. Treatments and medication can add up quickly. But what some don't know is that some states actually require treatment to be covered.

MISCONCEPTION: Fertility treatments aren't covered by insurance

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures: Since the 1980s, 15 states—Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia—have passed laws that require insurers to either cover or offer coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment. Thirteen states have laws that require insurance companies to cover infertility treatment.  Louisiana and New York prohibit the exclusion of coverage for a medical condition otherwise covered solely because the condition results in infertility.  Two states—California and Texas—have laws that require insurance companies to offer coverage for infertility treatment. While most states with laws requiring insurance companies to offer or provide coverage for infertility treatment include coverage for in vitro fertilization, California, Louisiana, and New York have laws that specifically exclude coverage for the procedure.

Have you undergone treatments that were covered by insurance? Did you still incur out of pocket costs? Share your story.