Mp13-17 State Laws & Insurance Coverage for Male Infertility

You have accessJournal of UrologyInfertility: Epidemiology & Evaluation I (MP13)1 May 2024MP13-17 STATE LAWS & INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MALE INFERTILITY Aleksandar Popovic, Ernest C. Gillan, and Amjad Alwaal Aleksandar PopovicAleksandar Popovic , Ernest C. GillanErnest C. Gillan , and Amjad AlwaalAmjad Alwaal View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/01.JU.0001008832.14212.d6.17AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Infertility is experienced by 15% of couples, with up to 50% of cases being primarily or secondarily due to male factor infertility. Unfortunately, however, infertility treatments are expensive and infrequently covered by insurance. Furthermore, many states lack explicit laws on fertility coverage. In this study, we assess the coverage of male infertility in state laws. METHODS: The National Conference of State Legislatures and individual state legislature websites were used to assess state laws on fertility coverage. These were queried for health insurance mandates or explicit mention of fertility. RESULTS: Less than half (21/50) states require any health insurance coverage for infertility. Amongst these, there is substantial variability in how infertility is defined. A minority (5/21) use the definition of 6 or 12 months of unprotected intercourse in those over age 35 and under age 35, respectively, without conception. Other states have no length of time explicitly stated (7/21) or the time required ranges from 1 to 5 years (9/21) with Texas and Hawaii both requiring 5 years of attempts at conception. Some states also restrict coverage to certain groups, such as NJ (coverage for those under 46 years old) or Rhode Island (coverage for women age 25 to 42). Furthermore, only 8 states make explicit mention of male infertility. Lastly, only 1 state, Massachusetts, includes explicit legislation for sperm collection/aspiration for infertility not related to iatrogenic infertility (infertility due to treatment of another medical condition). CONCLUSIONS: Infertility coverage is considerably lacking across the United States. Even amongst states that do include coverage, laws are often vague, and the majority do not contain language pertaining to males. Given the increasing rates of infertility, this is particularly worrying for both patients and practitioners. Source of Funding: N/a © 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 211Issue 5SMay 2024Page: e217 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.Metrics Author Information Aleksandar Popovic More articles by this author Ernest C. Gillan More articles by this author Amjad Alwaal More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...