Delaware state workers will start paying more for infertility treatments as of July 1, due to a cut in benefits recently approved by the state’s employee benefits committee.
Starting July 1, all employees with health insurance through the state will be required to pay one-quarter of the bill for all infertility-related medical services and prescription services, according to The News Journal. The new state health insurance plan also caps lifetime infertility services at $10,000 for medical care and a drop from $30,000 to $15,000 for medicine, according to the report.
The American Society of Reproductive Medicine estimates that one cycle of in vitro fertilization can average $12,500 per year.
The Delaware State Employee Benefits Committee recently made the cut as the body that manages the state’s self-funded insurance plan, which covers about 110,000 state employees, retirees, their dependents and other group health plan participants.
The News Journal reported that the move will save the state about $625,000 and affect 150 people.
Ann Visalli, director of the Delaware Office of Management and Budget, told the newspaper that officials looked at the cut “from a cost-benefit standpoint and it’s a very small group of people affected by this.” She noted other states, such as Pennsylvania, do not offer benefits for infertility services.
A pair of doctors who run infertility practices in Delaware told The News Journal they are “certain” the number of state employees and spouses impacted by the cut is larger than 150 and have had patients complaining about the cutback.
Delaware cutting infertility benefits for state employees July 1 via IFAwebnews.com .
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