One Big Step Forward For Surrogacy
This was just released yesterday. This is a huge step forward for surrogates! Intended parents (IP) often have to pay for extra insurance to cover the birth of their child. This makes it a covered event in the state of Wisconsin. Hopefully other states follow suit. Insurance for a surrogate can cost about $11K in premiums and has a massive deductible that makes it financially IMPOSSIBLE to afford.
I'm elated to see this news article.
The actual court opinion.
By SCOTT BAUER
MADISON, Wis.
Insurance companies may not deny coverage to surrogate mothers, the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled Friday.
The decision overturns a lower court's ruling that said Mercycare Insurance Co. and MercyCare HMO of Janesville did not have to provide benefits to two surrogate mothers who were denied coverage during their pregnancies. The companies had a policy of covering pregnant women, excluding surrogates acting as "gestational carriers" for other people's babies.
But the Supreme Court said insurance companies may not make routine maternity services unavailable to surrogate mothers based solely on their reasons or methods of becoming pregnant. The ruling affirms an opinion by the Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner that the HMO could not legally withhold coverage under its 2002 policy.
The two surrogate mothers involved in the legal battle are not identified by name in court records. Combined, they incurred more than $35,000 in medical bills during their pregnancies in 2003 and 2004, according to the court opinion.
Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg said the ruling supports his department's view that insurance companies can't discriminate against women based on the reasons they got pregnant.
Dilweg said he wasn't aware of any other women in the state who were denied coverage and his office does not have figures about how many surrogate mothers there are in any given year in Wisconsin.
MercyCare HMO issued a statement saying it disagreed with the ruling and that requiring the coverage will increase insurance costs.
I'm elated to see this news article.
The actual court opinion.
Surrogate mothers win insurance battle in court
By SCOTT BAUER
MADISON, Wis.
Insurance companies may not deny coverage to surrogate mothers, the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled Friday.
The decision overturns a lower court's ruling that said Mercycare Insurance Co. and MercyCare HMO of Janesville did not have to provide benefits to two surrogate mothers who were denied coverage during their pregnancies. The companies had a policy of covering pregnant women, excluding surrogates acting as "gestational carriers" for other people's babies.
But the Supreme Court said insurance companies may not make routine maternity services unavailable to surrogate mothers based solely on their reasons or methods of becoming pregnant. The ruling affirms an opinion by the Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner that the HMO could not legally withhold coverage under its 2002 policy.
The two surrogate mothers involved in the legal battle are not identified by name in court records. Combined, they incurred more than $35,000 in medical bills during their pregnancies in 2003 and 2004, according to the court opinion.
Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg said the ruling supports his department's view that insurance companies can't discriminate against women based on the reasons they got pregnant.
Dilweg said he wasn't aware of any other women in the state who were denied coverage and his office does not have figures about how many surrogate mothers there are in any given year in Wisconsin.
MercyCare HMO issued a statement saying it disagreed with the ruling and that requiring the coverage will increase insurance costs.
posted by linda at 2:53 PM
Comments on "One Big Step Forward For Surrogacy"
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Adele said ... (12:09 PM) :
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linda said ... (1:17 PM) :
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musicmakermomma said ... (1:46 AM) :
post a commentI had NO idea that surrogates had been denied coverage. I mean, how freaking cheap can those insurance companies get? Unbelievable. It sounds like a very important victory.
Adele,
Yep if a surrogate has a child for someone else....then the birth and maternity care are NOT coverable expenses.
There are companies that sell the intended parents insurance that will cover the surrogate but it's a total racket.
Check this out:
http://www.beitlerservices.com/table_surrogacy_medical_expense.php
Premiums amount to about $11K and I don't think anything is covered until the surrogate has accrued $19K in medical bills. The average c-section in this country runs about $10K (and I am not sure if that is the fee that is paid by the insurance company, so maybe it's higher for a "cash payer").
If a surrogate is on public assistance and gets state medical, then she can be committing a crime (fraud?) if she receives money to bear a child for another while using state or federal medical/social services.
I hope that other states will use the Wisconsin ruling to overturn similar laws in other states.
In the meanwhile, I think I might need to find a surrogate in Wisconsin - I'm having so much trouble finding someone suitable.
Can't believe all the roadblocks the system throws in our way. Really hope you find a perfect GS, but maybe you won't need one if this other doc works out - good luck to you my dear.