Insurance coverage rules for IVF can be confusing as there’s no federal mandate requiring health plans in the U.S. to pay for fertility treatments. Each state has its rules about what insurers must cover, and coverage can also vary between plans within the same state.
The logistics can get even more complicated because U.S. health insurance plans are fragmented and inconsistent. Some people have employer-sponsored coverage, while others buy individual plans or rely on public programs like Medicaid, which rarely cover IVF.
In this patient-friendly guide, we’ll explain how to get IVF covered by insurance and what health insurance covers IVF. You’ll also learn about:
The states that mandate IVF insurance coverage
Fertility or IVF-related services that are typically covered
Key questions you should ask your healthcare and insurance providers
Can IVF be covered by insurance?
Depending on where you live and what kind of health plan you have, IVF can be covered by insurance, at least partially. Some plans cover a significant portion of the treatment, while others may only include specific services or offer no support at all.
Because IVF is expensive, even partial coverage can help reduce the financial burden. The base fee alone ranges from $12,000 to $14,000, including:
Monitoring appointments
Ultrasounds and bloodwork
Egg retrieval
Embryo fertilization
Embryo transfer
How much of IVF is covered by insurance? Quick estimates
Eligible insurance plans help offset certain parts of the total cost, and what’s included depends on your specific plan, state laws, and whether a diagnosis of infertility has been documented.
Typically, insurance may help pay for:
Diagnostic testing, such as hormone panels, AMH levels, HSGs, or semen analysis
Ultrasounds and lab monitoring during the cycle
Medications, especially when prescribed as necessary
Procedures, such as egg retrieval or embryo transfer
Initial consultations and specialist visits
Source: Kaboompics.com
Even if your insurance plan covers IVF, it may not include all the variable costs and procedures, such as the need for several cycles if IVF doesn’t work the first time or the use of a donor egg.
Some plans include full fertility coverage benefits, but they usually have strict pre-authorization requirements, a limited number of cycles, and exclusions for elective procedures like embryo freezing. The insurance plan may also require you to work with network-only providers, which could limit your choice of clinics.
The variable expenses that may or may not be covered by insurance include:
Service | Cost estimate |
|---|---|
Consultation and diagnostic testing | $250–$500 |
Injectable hormone medications | $3,000–$7,000 |
$1,000–$2,000 | |
Donor sperm (if necessary) | $1,000–$1,500 |
Embryo freezing | $1000–$2000 |
Embryo storage | $500–$1,000 a year |
$200+ | |
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR, or PGT-P) | $3,000–$13,000 |
$240–$500 |
Bonus read — Read more about IVF genetic testing in these helpful guides:
What insurance covers IVF?
Many major insurance providers offer IVF coverage at varying degrees. Top providers include:
Aetna
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cigna
EmblemHealth
UnitedHealthcare
These providers cover IVF in a few scenarios, such as if you live in a state that requires certain plans to include infertility or IVF benefits, or if you’re enrolled in a plan that voluntarily includes IVF benefits, even if not required by state law. Some providers, such as TRICARE, do not cover assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, except in limited cases at military hospitals or for eligible active duty members.
In other cases, if you have a diagnosed medical cause of infertility and IVF is considered medically necessary, your plan may cover a part of your fertility treatment. Additionally, your employer may offer enhanced fertility benefits as part of a larger health or wellness package.
Even in eligible cases, IVF coverage is rarely comprehensive. Some plans support diagnostic testing only, others cover medications but not procedures, while a few may include IVF only if other procedures have failed or limit coverage to a set number of cycles.
Which states mandate IVF coverage?
As of September 2025, 22 states and the District of Columbia have passed some form of fertility insurance coverage laws. Some states mandate comprehensive coverage, including IVF and fertility preservation. Others only require insurers to offer a fertility benefit as an option.
Source: resolve.org
The mandates vary in scope and applicability. Below is a breakdown of coverage types across states:
Type of coverage | States |
|---|---|
Comprehensive IVF + fertility preservation — Mandate to cover |
|
IVF only — Mandate to cover |
|
Infertility coverage only — Mandate to cover |
|
IVF optional — Mandate to offer |
|
Fertility preservation only |
|
Pending or expanding coverage (As of September 2025) |
|
Essential health benefits (EHB) benchmark includes IVF |
|
Limitations of state IVF coverage laws
Even in states with laws requiring some form of infertility coverage, access is not guaranteed, and the fine print matters.
Some laws include discriminatory restrictions that exclude specific families. For instance, Texas and Hawaii require that IVF coverage apply only when the patient’s oocytes are fertilized with a spouse’s sperm, limiting access for single patients and many LGBTQ+ families.
Source: Mikhail Nilov
Additionally, some states may mandate coverage only for fully insured plans purchased from insurance companies. This excludes the self-insured plans used by ~60% of people with employer-based coverage. So, even if your state requires IVF coverage, your employer may not be obligated to provide it.
Beyond variations in coverage, state laws vary in terms of who qualifies, for instance:
The legal definition of infertility may require a heterosexual couple to try to conceive for 6–12 months before eligibility.
Some states impose age restrictions for IVF coverage.
Donor eggs or sperm may be excluded.
Some plans require you to try less expensive procedures, like IUI, before covering IVF.
Fertility preservation may only be covered under cancer treatment, not for other conditions that threaten fertility.
How do I know if my insurance covers IVF? Crucial questions to ask
Understanding health insurance policies can be overwhelming, and fertility coverage terms can be particularly confusing. To get started, there are three sources you can turn to for answers:
Your HR department
Insurance provider’s customer support
Fertility clinic’s billing team
The main questions to ask are: Can you use your insurance for IVF, and how much of IVF does your insurance cover?
From there, you can dive deeper to clarify the plan’s requirements, limitations, and exceptions.
Source: Mikhail Nilov
1. Questions to ask your HR department
Your employer’s HR team may not know every detail of your insurance plan, but they can tell you what plan you’re currently enrolled in and whether other options are available.
Here are some questions to guide the conversations:
Is my plan fully-insured or self-insured?
Does my current plan cover infertility diagnosis and treatment?
Are there any other plans I can switch to that offer better coverage?
Does the plan have any waiting periods before I can use fertility benefits?
Are there any ways to supplement coverage for my fertility treatments?
Will I be eligible for flexible work arrangements or paid time off to support fertility care?
Even if coverage is limited, your HR team may be able to connect you with fertility support resources or advocate on your behalf if necessary.
2. Questions to ask your insurance provider
Consider discussing your fertility treatment coverage directly with your insurance provider. Below are the essential questions to ask across key areas:
Area | Questions |
|---|---|
General coverage |
|
Network and logistics |
|
Billing and documentation |
|
Write down the name of the customer support representative you speak with, the date, and their answers. Ask for documentation whenever possible as records can be helpful if you come across conflicting information down the line.
3. Questions to ask your fertility clinic
Your fertility clinic can confirm coverage, request authorizations, and explain expected costs based on your treatment plan. These teams have likely worked with many patients who have the same plan as you, so they’ll have clearer answers around actual IVF costs and supplemental services.
Here are the questions you should ask your fertility clinic:
Are you in-network with my insurance provider?
Do you offer support for pre-authorization and billing insurance directly?
What out-of-pocket costs should I expect based on my plan?
Can you help estimate costs for medications, PGT, or embryo freezing?
Do you accept HSA/FSA payments?
Are there payment plans or financing options available?
With so much information to process, it’s safe to say that IVF is demanding even before the actual procedures begin. To navigate this journey with confidence, you can turn to experts for guidance so that you can focus on being a parent, not a manager. Nucleus IVF+ helps you prioritize personalized, health-conscious fertility decisions.
A helping hand throughout your IVF journey: Nucleus IVF+
For most people, going through fertility treatment entails making tough decisions. Even with wide insurance coverage and an excellent fertility care team, IVF requires complex multitasking. Parents must often juggle different roles, becoming:
Researchers as they try to navigate their options and compare clinics
Schedulers chasing appointments
Accountants questioning opaque billing
Ultimately, parents are faced with complicated decisions, such as choosing which embryo(s) to transfer, which even doctors may struggle to explain.
Nucleus is a fertility and health support platform that leverages the best-in-class technology and clinical testing network to empower parents. Its Nucleus IVF+ program offers numerous solutions, including genetic optimization, for parents who aspire to have healthy children and want expert support along the way.
Many of Nucleus’ services are HSA/FSA eligible, which can help ease the financial load. You can use your HSA/FSA card or pay out of pocket and request reimbursement using your invoice.
Book a call to start your fertility journey today!
How Nucleus IVF+ supports modern families
Nucleus IVF+ is an all-in-one program that offers concierge support for your entire IVF journey. You can access:
Matching services with top vetted IVF clinics
One IVF cycle
Medications
STD & AMH testing
ICSI included with cycle
Donor selection support
Personal carrier screening tests
PGT testing
Embryo analysis and genetic optimization software
All consultations during treatment — and more.
Nucleus IVF+ comes with numerous solutions, including Nucleus Family and Nucleus Embryo, to guide your choices during IVF+.
Nucleus Family
Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally or are preparing for IVF, the Nucleus Family DNA test gives you a deeper look at your DNA, helping you plan for a healthy pregnancy and baby. This clinical-grade testing looks at nearly 100% of DNA and can uncover risks that standard panels might miss, including:
Whether you or your partner carries gene variants that could impact your future child
How your genetics may influence fertility, egg or sperm quality, or miscarriage risk
Personal health insights that could affect your pregnancy and long-term well-being
Nucleus Embryo
Nucleus Embryo can help you compare embryos and choose the one that feels right for your family. This genetic optimization software works alongside standard embryo screening.
While most clinics only offer preimplantation genetic testing for chromosomal abnormalities or known genetic disorders, Nucleus takes it further by using whole genome data to analyze each embryo for 2,000+ conditions, including
Health potential for late-onset, complex conditions like heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and hundreds of rare inherited diseases.
Genetic traits such as height, eye color, hair color and texture, BMI, and more.
Well-being markers like sleep traits and mental health and migraine risks.
You get an interactive dashboard where you can compare up to 20 embryos and sort them by factors that matter most to you. These insights aren’t meant to replace medical advice, but can aid you with better transparency, especially around long-term health risks.
To get started with any Nucleus service, book a consultation with our experts.
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Featured image source: Ron Lach
