Are you struggling with infertility, need IVF, and live in NY State? Did you know that the NY State Government will help many people this year afford their fertility treatment? You don’t? Well, it’s not like they put up bill boards to advertise this unique approach to fertility coverage. In face the NY State IVF Grant Program is a little known secret – and it was born out of a political compromise. Let me tell you how it happened and how you can get access to it.

Almost ten years ago I worked to pass the NY State Mandate coverage for infertility treatment in NY State. It took almost eight years of lobbying to get the mandate through. I learned a lot about the political process in NY – not much of it good. I had Senators tell me one thing and then pretend that they never gave a promise the next. In NY State – things were particularly difficult as most decisions were not made through public agreement and testimony. At least back then – most decisions were made in private by three men and then brought to the floor to vote on – the public vote simply a formality.

It was incredibly hard getting the NY State Mandate passed because the Catholic Church has incredible leverage in the NY State Government – and the Church didn’t want in vitro fertilization mandated by the State. On the other side of the religious fence – the Orthodox Jewish Community did! I am not sure where the other religious groups in NY fell on IVF mandate lines – but this patient advocate was doing an incredible dance between the leadership that ruled back then, and this included Govenor Pataki, Joe Bruno, Sheldon Silver, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Jewish Community. And all I really wanted was to try to cut a deal that gave NY State residents access to fertility care. What we came up with something that only NY politics could create – a limited fertility mandate that covers everything except IVF and The NY State IVF Grant Program which funds IVF for NY State Residents which quality for the program. This is how the Grant Program works:

Grant programs are specifically for patients who are using in vitro fertilization (IVF). They must be medically eligible to apply, that is, the physician has recommended IVF as their optimal way to get pregnant.

The state grant requires that some patients try inter-uterine insemination (IUI) before moving to IVF; some patients, though, will be waived through if the physician determines IVF is optimal and preferred.

Patients must be between 21 – 44 years of age

Have proof of New York state residency

Carry private health insurance as primary insurance (not Medicaid, Medicare, or Family Health Plus)

Insurance cannot provide coverage for IVF, but it can cover medications, blood work, or sonograms

Combined gross household income, determined by most recent tax returns, of under $195k annually

Patients accepted into the NY grant program will pay what’s called a ‘cost-share’ (their out-of-pocket expense) which is determined by the state.

Inspired by The NY State IVF Grant Program – and realizing that different circumstances arise for every patient, East Coast Fertility who is able to offer the NY State Grant Program also developed their own grant program which allows them to be even more flexible in creating a treatment financial plan for each patient. Even patients who are not New York state residents have been able to make use of ECF’s grant to accomplish their fertility treatment.

So – if you have never explored the NY State Grant Program or if you live out of state and want to learn about East Coast Fertility’s own grant program – you can call 516-939 BABY (2229) to learn more, or request a free consultation.

What good do these programs do if patients don’t know about them!