A medical policy offers financial coverage for medical expenses. This can be through a basic plan or a more specialised plan like critical illness insurance. However, when it comes to getting treatments like IVF or other non-emergency medical costs you may be wondering if there is health insurance for IVF treatments.
Health Insurance For Infertility Treatments in India
IVF or other infertility treatments are traditionally excluded from health insurance coverage. However, a handful of health insurance policies offer coverage for infertility treatments. These policies have higher sum assured amounts and more premium amounts than a standard policy. You receive IVF health insurance, nonetheless.
Therefore, when you buy health insurance, you must ensure that your policy offers coverage for the treatments you’re looking to get. You can do this by reading the policy docuements thoroughly.
In fact, many online insurers like TATA AIG offer direct access to policy wordings on their website for easy access and increased transparency. This way you know what your chosen plan covers and you can buy the best health insurance plan for your needs.
Understanding Infertility and IVF in Health Insurance Policies
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is a treatment that can help people or couples conceive a child of their own. It is a series of medical procedures that assist the couple to have a child. There are a few steps, including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation procedure, embryo culture and embryo transfer.
One of the many reasons why health insurance coverage excludes IVF treatment is that the results are not 100% positive. There is a chance that the procedures will go in vain. Hence, procedures concerning the treatment or reversal of sterility/infertility are often not covered.
Types of Infertility Treatments
● In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
The process of combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory environment to produce an embryo that can be transplanted into the uterus.
● Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
The process is when a sperm is inserted into the uterus in a laboratory environment when the female is ovulating.
● Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)
The process involves combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory environment and transplanting them into fallopian tubes.
● Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
The process involves combining/injecting a single sperm into a single egg in a laboratory environment, and then the embryo is transplanted into the uterus.
Causes of Infertility
- Obesity and unhealthy eating habits
- Sedentary life
- Ageing
- Low or poor sperm count in men
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Stress
- Endometriosis
- Uterine or cervical abnormalities
- Ovulation disorder
- PCOS
- Genetic reasons
- Pollution
- Infections
- Abnormal sleeping patterns
- Surgical abortion
- Frequent use of emergency contraceptive pills
Infertility Treatment Cost in India
One of the many reasons you have very little health insurance for IVF or other infertility treatments is the cost of the treatment. As mentioned above, the results of this treatment might not be 100% positive. IVF’s success rate is only 30% to 35% in India. Although it is gradually increasing by the day, and India shows great technological progress, it is still expensive.
- The cost of IVF treatments in India can range from ₹1,00,000 to ₹4,00,000.
- IUI can range from ₹8,000 5to ₹30,000.
- ICSI can cost from ₹1,25,000 to ₹3,00,000.
The cost also increases with the inclusion of sperm donation, genetic testing and other procedures. It is also based on the hospital and treatment you choose for your procedures.
Summing It Up!
Infertility treatments give hope to those who wish to become parents. However, the high cost associated with the treatments, not just IVF, can be a significant barrier between couples and the happiness they seek.
Hence, buying health insurance for IVF coverage will offer relief. Make sure that you conduct conscious and thorough research before entrusting your dreams to this treatment.
