Photo courtesy of, Kostas Tsironis/Bloomberg
A recent announcement in Ontario is good news for women under 43. Planned for the end of 2015, eligible Ontario women under 43 may have access to one round of publicly funded in vitro fertilization (IVF). The province is adding $50 million per annum to the current $20 million spent on reproductive services.
With one round of IVF treatment costing approximately $8,000 to $15,000, this announcement is a welcome boon for many women and couples in the province.
“This is incredibly significant,” said Carolynn Dubé, executive director of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada, a national patient organization. “We are hoping other provinces will look at their funding models.”
There is some question about whether the coverage will be able to begin by December as promised by Health Minister Eric Hoskins, because no funding agreements have yet been reached with the fertility clinics. Hopefully agreements can be made and this funding can come into action within the designated timelines.
Business owners looking for benefits plan alternatives that can cover expenses that have limited or no coverage under conventional benefits plans (such as IVF) should consider a healthcare spending account (HCSA). A healthcare spending account provides coverage for expenses such as fertility treatments, special needs tuition, corrective laser eye surgery, and more.
>> Contact The Benefits Trust to discuss custom benefits plans or introducing more flexible coverage into your current benefits solution.
Check out our FREE eBook for a comprehensive look at HCSAs: “The Smart Business Owner’s Guide to Healthcare Spending Accounts.”
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