Open enrollment is the period of time each year when people can enroll in or make changes to their health insurance plan. The dates for open enrollment this year are November 1 - December 15, 2021. Be sure to confirm with your employer - some companies have different cutoff dates for this period.
Outside of the open enrollment period, you can typically only make changes to your insurance if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Whether you're making changes to your existing insurance coverage, choosing a new insurance plan, switching insurance providers, or simply wanting to make sure you're getting the best fertility coverage, now is the time to act.
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Wondering what fertility coverage your health insurance plan offers? Here’s an easy-to-understand explanation of what your coverage might include, plus more ways to pay for IVF, IUIs, or other fertility treatments.
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Having infertility insurance coverage can be a game-changer in your family-building journey. Here’s how to make sure your health coverage includes IVF, IUIs, and other fertility testing or treatment during the Open Enrollment season.
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IVF, IUI, and other fertility treatments are expensive. How are you going to pay for it all? Hopefully, your health insurance! Here are the most important questions you need to ask your provider to see how far your coverage goes.
What is the difference between a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Health Savings Account (HSA)? These accounts are both tax-advantaged funds that you can use on qualified medical expenses (which is a long list!). There are some key differences, which we've listed below.
The deadline to use FSA cash is 12/15/2021. On this date (or after an employer-granted grace period), you will lose any money leftover in the account. Using up the funds in your FSA account on qualified medical expenses by this date ensures that you will not miss out on any hard-earned cash. Plus, if your employer adds to the account (and many do!), you could be forfeiting free money.
There are many other specifics about the two accounts that we encourage yeou to read up on here, and it’s always good to read the fine print for your spending or savings account fund - so you know exactly what’s covered.
Unfortunately, for many LGBTQ+ singles and couples, family b
uilding and fertility costs are not covered by insurance. While we and our fellow fertility advocates work to change this, there are some ways that you can help yourself make the most of your coverage.
Check out the short list of questions below to ask your employer or insurance provider about your current coverage, or head to this blog for more tips to be your own insurance advocate.
Is there a fertility benefit offered at this company? If yes, what treatments and testing are covered? Does this benefit apply to all employees equally?
Are there in-network fertility clinics to choose from?
Are reimbursements offered to all employees for procedures that are not covered by insurance - like IUI or surrogacy?
Are there any exclusions to our fertility/family-building policies? If your current insurance policy doesn’t seem like it’s going to be much help, open enrollment can be the time to make a change. Ask if your employer offers any additional third party programs to help with family building costs, or investigate some on your own.
You can also use the time after you’ve met your deductible (typically the end of the year) to make the most of your current coverage. While your entire treatment may not be covered, a consultation, baseline fertility testing, and even genetic screening may be covered by insurance. Learn more of what you need to know about fertility costs and coverage here.
