If you pay close attention to the IVF sphere, the term “IVF Guarantee” may have caught your attention. At first, it does not seem very trustworthy; after all, we know that there are no guarantees in medicine. Upon closer inspection, however, we can quickly discover that these offerings should really be named “IVF Refund Guarantee” programs – as that’s exactly what they are. Simply put, these programs consist of a number of IVF cycles with a guarantee of a partial – sometimes even a full – refund if the desired result isn’t achieved.
IVF refund and guarantee programs are a relatively new innovation on the IVF market.
Despite that, they already enjoy a considerable degree of popularity; to a patient, they seem like a win-win situation; either the treatment is a success and they get to raise a child, or they receive a refund which can be put towards another attempt.
There is, of course, a catch. Clinics are businesses, after all, and they need to make money somehow. This is why the method in which IVF refund guarantee programs are financed is not as straightforward as it may seem.
In very broad terms, this is how IVF refund programs work: after an upfront payment, the patient gets to undergo a certain amount of IVF cycles. “Success” in such a program may be defined as either a clinical pregnancy or the live birth of a child. If this goal is achieved during the first cycle, the patient receives no refund. However, if more cycles are needed to reach the desired result, a partial refund may be given to the patient – a full refund is often available in case every cycle is unsuccessful.
This reveals how clinics are able to recommend such programs and still turn a profit; simply put, patients who succeed on the first try pay for the treatments of other, less fortunate participants in IVF guarantee programs.
As such, these IVF refund guarantee schemes are not for everyone. There is a considerable entry cost; after all, you’re not paying for a single IVF cycle, but for several. If you succeed the first time around, you end up paying considerably more money with no possibility of a refund.
On the other hand, if you do end up requiring more than one cycle, oftentimes these programs actually end up saving money. Additionally, the set amount of cycles included in the program provides some comfort to patients – unlike traditional IVF treatments, a patient is assured that in the case of failure, they can undergo another treatment without additional costs. This aspect makes financial planning of your fertility treatment much easier.
Money is not the only entry barrier – medical qualifications for patients are required, but the exact criteria vary greatly from clinic to clinic. The testing isn’t free of charge, although its cost may be deducted from the total cost of the program if you qualify. Example tests include bloodwork to measure the hormone levels, ultrasounds to judge your uterine health, and semen analysis and karyotyping for your male partner. Patient age is also a factor, although only in own egg programs. Older patients may also receive smaller refunds than their younger counterparts.
IVF REFUND GUARANTEE PROGRAMS in Europe RANGE FROM 10,000 TO 20,000 EURO.
This price is driven by the type of treatment (donor or own eggs), the desired result (clinical pregnancy or live birth), and the number of IVF cycles and transfers covered. Additional costs may be incurred if the patient wishes to use donor sperm, diagnostics such as PGT-A, endometrial scratching, and other techniques or procedures. Before signing up for such a program, make sure you ask your clinic about what exactly is covered, and what will require additional payment.
There is more to learn about IVF guarantee programs than this high-level overview mentions. If you think this type of treatment may be for you, the good people over at EggDonationFriends.com have prepared a comprehensive guide to IVF refund and guarantee programs which will help you make an informed decision.
