Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A: My husband is in the military and I am hoping to become a Gestational Surrogate for a great and deserving couple soon. I recently asked my insurace company if they would cover a surrogate pregnancy. They replied with, "The claims will be paid as for any maternity patient. Non-coital reproductive techniques are not a benifit of TRICARE." Should I have been more specific and asked if they would cover me becoming a Gestational Surrogate, or should I leave well enough alone? I would hate for my insurance company to back out and leave the IP's or myself stuck with the bills. - <a href="mailto:tazmania2024@hotmail.com">Heather</a> in Minot AFB, ND

Please help support this site by visiting our sponsor!

Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A

Q & A: Insurance Issues

Topics may include finding coverage, finding out if current insurance will cover surrogacy, etc.

2. My husband is in the military and I am hoping to become a Gestational Surrogate for a great and deserving couple soon. I recently asked my insurace company if they would cover a surrogate pregnancy. They replied with, "The claims will be paid as for any maternity patient. Non-coital reproductive techniques are not a benifit of TRICARE." Should I have been more specific and asked if they would cover me becoming a Gestational Surrogate, or should I leave well enough alone? I would hate for my insurance company to back out and leave the IP's or myself stuck with the bills. - Heather in Minot AFB, ND - Top

Heather,

Our surrogate was also a military family member and covered under Tricare. They will cover all pregnancy and delivery charges just as if you were carrying your own child. What they will not cover is any of the IVF procedures to get you pregnant. Make sure you get a break down from your area Tricare coordinator of what Tricare will pay for so that you, your IPs, and the Dr know what to expect. In our case Tricare would not pay for an ultrasound unless it was medically neccessary so our standard 20 week ultra sound we paid for but our 33 week ultra sound was paid for by Tricare because SM was measuring big and had been diagnoised with gestational diabetes. In addition, while they covered all of her diabetic meds they would not cover the diabetic teaching class required to learn how to test her blood suger. Another item they did not cover was the Alpha Fetal Protein triple screen. Tricare only covered a single test and not the triple test
that our OB did.

Hope this helped answer your questions and good luck.

Lynn

From what I understand, if your pregnancy is your
pregnancy it should be covered. You can write the
company a note and they can tell you if it is not
covered. I know that Lynn is in the military and may know.

Good Luck,
Jennifer - Updated: January 31, 2000
Topics may include finding coverage, finding out if current insurance will cover surrogacy, etc.

2. My husband is in the military and I am hoping to become a Gestational Surrogate for a great and deserving couple soon. I recently asked my insurace company if they would cover a surrogate pregnancy. They replied with, "The claims will be paid as for any maternity patient. Non-coital reproductive techniques are not a benifit of TRICARE." Should I have been more specific and asked if they would cover me becoming a Gestational Surrogate, or should I leave well enough alone? I would hate for my insurance company to back out and leave the IP's or myself stuck with the bills. - Heather in Minot AFB, ND - Top: Heather,

Our surrogate was also a military family member and covered under Tricare. They will cover all pregnancy and delivery charges just as if you were carrying your own child. What they will not cover is any of the IVF procedures to get you pregnant. Make sure you get a break down from your area Tricare coordinator of what Tricare will pay for so that you, your IPs, and the Dr know what to expect. In our case Tricare would not pay for an ultrasound unless it was medically neccessary so our standard 20 week ultra sound we paid for but our 33 week ultra sound was paid for by Tricare because SM was measuring big and had been diagnoised with gestational diabetes. In addition, while they covered all of her diabetic meds they would not cover the diabetic teaching class required to learn how to test her blood suger. Another item they did not cover was the Alpha Fetal Protein triple screen. Tricare only covered a single test and not the triple test
that our OB did.

Hope this helped answer your questions and good luck.

Lynn

From what I understand, if your pregnancy is your
pregnancy it should be covered. You can write the
company a note and they can tell you if it is not
covered. I know that Lynn is in the military and may know.

Good Luck,
Jennifer - Updated: January 31, 2000

Unless stated otherwise, all responses in the SMO Q&A are courtesy of one or more of the following hosts:

Sherry - Experienced gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement

Linda - New Mommy to twins born via gestational surrogacy and egg donation

Jennifer S. - Experienced AI surrogate

Lynn - New Mommy to a daughter born via traditional surrogacy

Tracie - 5 time egg donor (triplets, 2 sets of twins and 2 singletons) and 3 time surrogate (2-AI, 1-IVF).

Lisa - Experienced egg donor and previous gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement (Lisa was our former ED host, prior to July 1999.)
Disclaimer: Responses from SMO Q&A Hosts do not necessarily represent the opinions and ideas of SMO. Neither the Q&A hosts nor SMO guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the responses given here. As such, neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts are responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. Neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts shall be liable or responsible to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly by the information or ideas contained, suggested, or referenced in these responses.

Q&A Categories | Search Q&A's | Submit A Question | SMO Home Page