Imagine being told that the answer to your longing for a child is available — but the price is more than you can afford. Imagine trying to have a baby for eight years, finding out that your infertility is treatable, but the treatment is out of your budget’s reach.
This was 36-year-old Selena’s reality. She and her husband were trying to get pregnant in spite of both polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and male-factor infertility.
“Our insurance paid for testing, not treatment,” Selena recalls about their initial research into obtaining fertility services. “When it got to the point of being told that we would probably only get pregnant with IVF, but that we had to pay for it… we pretty much gave up on the idea of having a child.”
The couple was referred by her OB/Gyn to Shady Grove Fertility several years ago. Selena recalls thinking, “‘Why bother?’ But we decided to go and talk to them. What they offered us cost way more than we could afford.”
The couple returned to Shady Grove Fertility in 2008. “We were going to inquire about getting a loan for treatment,” said Selena. Dr. [Robert] Stillman was incredible, offering to discount his physician fees, which just brought me to tears.” That’s when the Patient Financial Services staff informed them about a new program that could bring an end to their longing and bring a baby into their home.
It’s called Shared Help.
Big News, Again
Years ago, Shady Grove Fertility made news when co-founding physician Dr. Michael Levy created the innovative Shared Risk 100% Refund program for making infertility treatment more affordable. The program, which allows patients to pay one fixed fee for six IVF attempts with a full refund if the patient doesn’t successfully have a live birth, has been duplicated by centers around the world. Thousands of babies have been the result for couples who might otherwise be unable to access IVF.
As the economic climate became increasingly tough for so many, Levy and the rest of the Shady Grove Fertility staff opened their minds again, exploring ways to make fertility treatment available to everyone who needs it.
“The Shared Help program was started in recognition that there are a lot of patients who couldn’t access the necessary treatment because they couldn’t afford it,” Levy says. “Many times we found that people who couldn’t afford treatment weren’t telling us about their financial struggles, while people who could afford the treatments were asking for help. We created this program to help the right people.”
Following a pilot program in the spring of 2008, the Shared Help Program was opened in September to all eligible patients.
How Shared Help Program Works
Now, patients of Shady Grove Fertility who have a household income of $95,000 or less can apply for Shared Help. Those who are approved for the program will receive a discount off the cost of most fertility services provided by Shady Grove Fertility.
“The only fees that aren’t discounted are those that aren’t directly provided by us,” explains Shady Grove Fertility’s Director of Patient Financial Services, Janice Koch. “For example, tests or procedures done at outside facilities are not covered in this program, as well as medication.”
Still, Dr. Levy continues to polish this new program further, with his sights set on even more assistance for patients. “We have total support from the pharmaceutical companies on this initiative. There is tremendous positive reinforcement from the companies that we work with. They are very happy to collaborate with us.”
To apply for Shared Help, patients must be younger than 42 years old; yet those who are older may apply for Shared Help if they also qualify for the Donor Egg program. In the case of a Shared Help program patient with insurance coverage, only parts of prescribed treatments that are not covered by insurance will be discounted.
According to Koch, a patient’s approval for the Shared Help program is good for one year, and reapplication with updated tax returns is necessary if a patient needs treatment beyond that year.
How Shared Help Worked for One Couple
After being surprised at how simple application was — a very brief questionnaire and the previous two years’ US Federal tax returns — Selena received news within one week that “literally floored” her. Shady Grove Fertility offered the couple IVF with ICSI at a significant discount.
“I always thought of fertility treatment as something that’s just not for people like us,” Selena elaborates. “I don’t know how to say this, but it’s one of those things in life that you start to feel like nobody really cares if you have it or not. The Shared Help Program made everything equal. Shady Grove Fertility gave me and my husband what I don’t think any other center would have.”
In spite of the fact that their first IVF cycle did not result in a successful pregnancy, Selena and her husband are still qualified for the same discounts in subsequent treatment attempts. Shared Help has afforded them the chance to continuing trying to make their dreams happen.
She says everyone she knows is finding out about Shared Help from her experience. She calls the simplicity of the application and the generosity of the program guidelines “phenomenal.”
“I don’t know what the average United States household income is, but me and everybody I know would be able to qualify for this program. Every clinic should be doing this,” the very satisfied patient expresses.
Satisfied hardly describes what Selena really feels right now about her Shady Grove Fertility experience. “Even beyond the Shared Help Program, everyone there — all of the staff we had contact with — always treated us like our needs were important. Nobody ever treated us differently because we were receiving this extra financial help.”
For more information on Shared Help, please call our friendly New Patient Liaisons at 888-761-1967.
