Babies being born through surrogacy are on the rise!
Health insurance companies excluding surrogacy from members are also on the rise.
Seems more and more insurance companies are not willing to be pay for maternity care if the member is a carrier for another couple; especially since the surrogate mother is getting paid for her service. These exclusions could increase as the U.S. Affordable Care Act is enacted and more people are included.
The State of Wisconsin however, made it illegal for insurance companies to refuse coverage for a surrogacy pregnancy.
So if you don’t happen to live in Wisconsin, surrogate mothers and intended parents often times have to buy additional health insurance.
The problem is that in Texas, there are no single insurance plans that include maternity costs. Only group policies such as employer plans offer maternity care.
Currently, if a surrogate has no insurance, then the intended parents pay cash for the pregnancy and delivery expenses but take out a single insurance plan to cover any complications that may arise. Even though it doesn’t cover the obstetrician or hospital, it will cover complications. Should complications occur, prices can quickly escalate and become astronomical, so it pays to protect yourself.
Again, the scenario above is if the surrogate has NO insurance. If she has insurance and there is a surrogacy exclusion, it becomes even more complicated as more and more insurance companies are not giving coverage if the insured has health coverage already. Call our office for more information on this scenario.
With more insurance companies exclude surrogacy, it pays to use an agency that will not only match IPs and surrogate mothers but also takes insurance matters seriously.
If more states follow Wisconsin’s lead (we hope they do) then this is one last expense for IPs and that money can use that money towards diapers or a college fund!