MADISON – Madison, WI – As part of National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), April 23-29, the Building Families Alliance of Wisconsin will bring together patients, medical professionals, and supporters from across the state to increase awareness of and advocate for mandated insurance coverage for infertility, which affects 1 in 6 individuals globally and more than 172,000 people in Wisconsin.
Today, Wisconsin receives a C rating from RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. By contrast, neighboring Illinois, which offers state-mandated insurance coverage for fertility treatment, receives an A-minus. Wisconsin can change that. The current version of the Executive Budget for 2023-2025 includes a provision that would require most health insurance policies issued in this state to cover the essential health care services to diagnose and treat infertility and preserve fertility when appropriate.
“For too many families the financial burden is the greatest challenge they must overcome to fulfill their dreams of parenthood. Today, fewer than one fourth of insurance plans provide some level of coverage for these services and those who require treatment are often left with medical bills well in excess of $10,000. We must act now to ensure all Wisconsinites have the support they need to build their families,” said Dr. Bala Bhagavath, reproductive endocrinologist, Director of Generations Fertility Care, and co-chair of the Building Families Alliance of Wisconsin. “By encouraging our elected officials to keep fertility coverage in the state budget, we have an opportunity to turn the tide.”
Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying, or six months if a woman is over 35 years old. Infertility affects 1 in 6 families, and its physical, emotional, and financial toll is significant. Research shows that an infertility diagnosis results in similar levels of anxiety and depression as a diagnosis of cancer, heart disease, or HIV. Despite the prevalence and impact of this disease, coverage of infertility treatment is not required in Wisconsin.
“When I stopped taking birth control, I, like so many people, assumed I would be pregnant relatively soon. Instead, my husband and I navigated expensive, complicated, harrowing escalating fertility treatments in shock and disbelief for more than four years,” shares Kathy Waligora of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. “Luckily, my Illinois based employer was required by state law to provide insurance coverage for fertility treatments. So many Wisconsin families will have to make the choice to stop pursuing their family, when effective medical treatment is available, because of the cost. No one prepares for infertility–but we can do more to make sure care is available when it is needed.”
For more information, see the NIAW event listed below or visit the Building Families Alliance website: http://www.buildingfamilieswi.org.
