https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:24:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487955 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:03:06 +0000 BSB 1487955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@CatchAFallingStar: Yeah, part of the reason I don't think I could ask my sisters to be a surrogate is because I'm afraid of the strings they might hold over me. I'm sure they both might offer if I asked but I just don't think it would ask. If surrogacy was cheaper, I would do it for a random or unrelated person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487862 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:25:51 +0000 Caly 1487862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: We did the same thing! Put it on a card &amp; paid it off for the points. </p> <p>@catchafallingstar: That makes compete sense! There was a point when it was mentioned a relative may want to pay for IVF &amp; I had the exact same thoughts. However, if the only way we'd be able to do it was to get help, I'd do it. Perhaps discussing these feelings with your DH &amp; even parents/in laws would help alleviate some of the anxiousness? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487832 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:13:39 +0000 BSB 1487832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: Oh, I could put it on my Amex and get 1% back. Good idea! It's only $100 discount but still nice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487573 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:06:19 +0000 SweetiePie 1487573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We paid for the entire thing in cash, we had zero insurance coverage which is weird because for all else our insurance is excellent. To be even more specific, we put all of it on our Amex for points and then paid it off in full :-) If you are able to pay cash, I think that would be smart because of all the reasons the lovely ladies ahead of me stated :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487549 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 17:56:08 +0000 twoofeverything 1487549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Close to $22K with the refund option from Attain (70% refund if it didn't work after 6 tries). Plus meds, which were about $2K per cycle. It would have been $13K plus meds for one cycle.<br /> We were only able to afford it because of a sizeable inheritance from my grandmother...otherwise it wouldn't have been an option for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487315 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:57:24 +0000 CatchAFallingStar 1487315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been pondering this as we're approaching decision time as to whether we'll proceed with IUI or IVF. We have very little savings and already too much debt ($70k in student loans). So, I'm assuming our parents will help. That makes me feel sick to my stomach, though. I'm honestly afraid that if one side pays more, they'll feel more entitled to more time with the baby. I know, that sounds totally crazy! I just feel owned by someone if they give me/us large amounts of money for any reason. Does that make sense? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487300 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:50:52 +0000 Caly 1487300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We paid out of pocket upfront. It's such a huge shame that insurance rarely covers IVF. Hopefully, one day, this will change. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487193 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:20:38 +0000 momazon 1487193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We pulled the money from savings-- both from our HSA account and a regular savings account once the HSA funds were depleted. Two larger-than-expected tax refunds really helped boost us as well. I'm setting aside cash in our HSA account again with the new year, so will be using that to purchase meds for any new cycles (since we already pre-paid last year for all the IVF cycles). For meds, I just make sure I seek out the best prices and take advantage of any rebate offers, savings clubs, etc. Do you know what meds you'll be on already?</p> <p>I 100% agree with you about not wanting the monthly payment hovering over your head-- that would've added a lot of extra stress for me too.</p> <p>Also, just a bit of advice to try not to over-order on your meds at first, if you can't return them. I filled the entire prescription for my first cycle, then ended up with tons of extras at the end. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487044 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:29:15 +0000 Jenn23 1487044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We paid out of pocket (from savings) and didn't want to take out a loan, but I had a co-worker at the time who did that. Apparently they have lower interest IVF loans and she didn't have enough upfront so she and her husband did that. </p> <p>@bluestriped bee: Your insurance sounds about the same as ours. All my ultrasounds and bloodwork were covered, but not the big IVF costs and meds. It stinks, huh?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1487024 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:24:29 +0000 BSB 1487024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@OpinionsLikeKittens: It won't wipe out our savings. So I'm leaning towards paying for it upfront. </p> <p>@PurplePumps: My insurance covers IF initial testing, so like little things like blood tests and ultrasound. Nothing compared to the $500 I pay for IUIs and $10k+ for the IVF per cycle. Meds aren't covered, either, unless it's a general prescription for antibiotics or something. </p> <p>I have good insurance, too, but not in the IF side of things. </p> <p>Good point on taking out a loan later down the road if something big happens. </p> <p>@Shutterbug: Good point. </p> <p>@Mrs Green Grass: Yeah, I have some friends that might be able to give/sell me their extra meds. </p> <p>Thanks everyone for your responses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486738 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:03:48 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 1486738@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours was over $20k including testing, Clomid IUI cycles, and 1 IVF with a "success guarantee" option. We paid out of pocket. My meds cost less than the projected price and a got some from a fellow blogger for cheap </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486675 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:44:41 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1486675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We paid cash for our fresh cycle and frozen. We saved for a few months to be able to do that. We budgeted $15,000 for the fresh cycle and $5,000 for the frozen. We wound up spending less than that both times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486557 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:14:54 +0000 gingerbebe 1486557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, the costs vary wildly depending on the clinic and your coverage. I happen to have very good coverage (at least for our state) where you get 50% covered for everything up until IVF (so IUIs) and then $9000 flat for IVF rounds plus meds. We had budgeted our $8500 based on the idea that if we could do it with IUIs then we'd be able to pay for a few rounds of that, or if they decided IVF was the best option for us right off the bat, then we would shift it over to that cost. We were prepared for 1 year of IUIs and pre-IVF treatment and then agreed we'd both enroll in our FSAs ($5000 total) and put aside an additional $5000-6000 for the following year for IVF if needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486469 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:53:21 +0000 spaniellove 1486469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: That was DH's justification; he said if it didn't work he didn't want to keep paying for a baby we never got. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486449 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:49:10 +0000 Shutterbug 1486449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think for me personally I would avoid the loan because if it didn't work it would be a monthly reminder of it not working, and isn't AF enough of a reminder? :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486406 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:38:48 +0000 littlek 1486406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are going to be paying about $5k a cycle for IUI and we plan on using cash. DH is debt averse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486400 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:37:42 +0000 PurplePumps 1486400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh my goodness, these numbers are scary. Is that with no insurance coverage at all? If it came to it, we would pay from savings. I dint see the point of trading a loan I'd the money is there. If you really needed that money later, I'd consider the loan later as lasts resort. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486296 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:01:54 +0000 spaniellove 1486296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know this is not a popular option but DH took out of his 401k and I paid for the rest out of savings - everything together cost $15k. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486293 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:01:23 +0000 twodoghouse 1486293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used my husband's work bonus from last year. We would not have felt comfortable taking out loans to pay for it, just based on our personal ideas about debt. If we didn't have my husband's bonus, we would have just saved until we could have afforded it flat out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486285 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:58:46 +0000 reverie 1486285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My girlfriend paid for it up front from savings. If you have the money I say spend it, but if it completely would wipe out your savings it might be a good idea to get a loan maybe for half the cost or something? I wouldn't want to go into pregnancy without a cushion! Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486265 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:52:05 +0000 meganmp 1486265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm totally anti-debt! We lucked out in that my parents gifted us the money for it, but if we had been able to pay for it ourselves upfront we woudl have. Our clinic fees totalled a bit under $20,000 (meds included). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486262 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:49:54 +0000 gingerbebe 1486262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are also anti-debt. We were getting our work up done when we got an unexpected BFP (fingers crossed here) but we were managing the money part by maxing out DH's FSA at $2500. I would have maxed mine out too (another $2500) but our open enrollment had just ended when we got referred to our RE so we lost out on that option. Then we put another $6000 from liquid assets aside. </p> <p>Our clinic had a flat fee of $9000 for a round of IVF, not including drugs, so we got $8500 from the FSA and cash ready up front and then felt confident we could pay for the drug costs as they came up, either in cash or on a credit card if absolutely necessary, with the assumption the meds would run about $2000. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486260 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:49:24 +0000 Mamaof2 1486260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours wasn't that much since we were military but we took money out of a money market account </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-to-pay-out-of-pocket-for-ivf-how-did-you-pay-for-it#post-1486241 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:43:04 +0000 BSB 1486241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you take out a loan, use savings or some other means?</p> <p>We have the money to pay for it upfront. But DH asked me yesterday if we wanted to take a loan out. I don't want that monthly payment hovering over our head as we become parents. Plus, the cost of child care scares me. So I don't want to be tied down by that loan. </p> <p>We have good credit, so getting the loan shouldn't be a problem. I'm just eager to be debt free and getting another another loan feels like we are taking a few steps backwards towards that goal. </p> <p>Just wondering what you guys have done. </p>