Many couples have a limited amount of money to allocate toward building their family through advanced fertility treatment. The cost of IVF and the uncertainty regarding the outcome can be a major concern. The Center for Reproductive Medicine is proud to offer an IVF Refund Program through IntegraMed. The program was created to reduce a couple’s financial anxiety by fixing the costs associated with multiple IVF cycles. This program limits the amount of money “at risk” and preserves capital for other family building options should IVF fail.

Visit IntegraMed to see if you pre-qualify – get an answer online now! – or continue reading some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the IVF Refund Program:

How does the Program Work?
It's easy. You pay a fixed, discounted fee that allows you to try up to 6 IVF cycles (3 fresh IVF cycles and 3 frozen IVF cycles). The fee varies by your age. When you take a baby home from the hospital, we retain the full payment whether on the first, second or third attempt. However, if you are not successful or if you drop out of treatment, up to 70% of the fee is refunded.

A couple achieving a pregnancy on the first attempt will pay more with this program than the traditional fee-for-service payment methods. On the other hand, if the attempts aren't successful, we assume the bulk of the costs. Hence the official name of the program, “Shared Risk Refund.” Donor egg recipients and couples requiring ICSI are eligible for this program at slightly higher fees.

Why Doesn't Everyone Offer This Program?
To offer such a program, a fertility center must maintain higher than average IVF delivery rates. Additionally, the unique, nontraditional nature of the IVF Refund Program represents a dramatic change from the typical fee-for-service payment. The concept of a “shared risk for IVF” was carefully reviewed and analyzed by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). They stated that with appropriate checks and balances this type of program can be ethically pursued and provide great benefit to patients. Feedback from patients reinforces our strong belief in the ethical nature of this program. We offer the IVF Refund Program as an alternative financial option but do not try to persuade couples to participate. We advise everyone considering this option to weigh the benefits of this program vs. the traditional fee-for-service.

Who Qualifies for This Program?
Couples must complete a full medical screening and be considered appropriate candidates for IVF. Women must be able to complete all 6 IVF cycles (3 fresh IVF cycles and 3 frozen IVF cycles) by their 38th birthday if using their own eggs. There is no age limit for women using donor eggs. Acceptance into the program is at the sole and subjective opinion of IntegraMed America. Approximately 70% of couples that applied have been accepted into the program.

Why does the Program have age and other limitations?
The delivery rate in program must be maintained at or above 30% per cycle for this program to be financially feasible for to “share the risk.” Therefore, IVF Refund Program participants must be able to complete three IVF cycles by their 38th birthday. However, patients using donor eggs are eligible for the program even if older than 39.

A Patient's Point of View
“The IVF Refund Program gave us peace of mind while we were going through IVF because the costs were fixed – no surprises. Once pregnant, we were comforted knowing that if anything happened to the pregnancy, we could try IVF again or adopt.”