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Massachusetts Fertility Preservation Law Passes
In 1987, Massachusetts required insurance companies to provide certain infertility benefits, including coverage for all aspects of infertility diagnosis and treatment, such as IVF. As a leader in fertility coverage for over three decades, Massachusetts has reinforced its commitment to protecting fertility for all with the recent passage of the Massachusetts Fertility Preservation Law which ensures everyone in need of fertility preservation has a chance at parenthood.
What Does the Fertility Preservation Law Provide?
The new fertility preservation law in Massachusetts provides insurance coverage for individuals facing medical diagnoses or treatments that may impair fertility, enabling them to preserve their fertility and build families in the future. Check out Fertility Within Reach for more information.
What is Involved in Preserving Your Fertility?
Fertility preservation refers to medical procedures used to safeguard an individual’s reproductive potential, allowing them the opportunity to conceive children in the future. This is often sought out by individuals who are facing medical treatments or conditions that could impair fertility, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or certain surgeries. Cryopreserving reproductive cells is considered standard medical care and is performed by specialists in assisted reproductive technology. Common techniques for fertility preservation include freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos, and ovarian or testicular tissue cryopreservation.
What Other States Cover Fertility Preservation?
Currently, there are ten states in the United States that have passed fertility preservation laws. These states include: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Illinois, Delaware, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, and California. Visit Fertility Within Reach for up-to-date information.
Questions to Ask Your Employer
If you live or work in a state with an infertility coverage law and want to know if you are covered, you should obtain the following information from your employer:
- Fully-insured or self-insured? Fully-insured plans must comply with state insurance laws, whereas self-insured or self-funded plans are exempt and employers are not required to adhere to state insurance laws.
- Plan size requirements? Some laws exempt employers with fewer than a specific number of employees (e.g., “greater than 25” plan, “greater than 50” plan). Coverage may also be restricted to individual, small, or large group insurance markets. Determine which policies are covered by the state law and ask your employer about your plan type.
- Policy jurisdiction? Typically, the insurance policy must be written in or reside within the state that enforces the infertility insurance law.
Fertility Centers of New England is Here to Help
Understanding if you have fertility insurance and your options is the first step when undergoing infertility treatment. If you are looking for more information on how much IVF costs or what treatment option is best for you, please contact us for an initial consultation.
*Content resources include Fertility Within Reach, AllPaths Family Building, and Resolve.
