Surrogate insurance has a few parts, and none of them should cost you money

Insurance is one of the least exciting parts of surrogacy, and one of the most important. It decides who pays when a bill arrives. The short answer is that it should never be you.

This guide explains the main kinds of coverage in a surrogacy and how each one is usually handled. It is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Your own lawyer reviews the details in your agreement with you.

A surrogacy involves a few kinds of coverage

Most surrogacies involve:

• Health insurance for the pregnancy. Prenatal care, delivery and the hospital stay.
• Life insurance for you. A term policy that protects your family during the pregnancy.
• Coverage for the baby. The baby's care after birth, which is the intended parents' responsibility.

The fertility stage, meaning screening, medications, monitoring and the embryo transfer, is usually paid by the intended parents directly, not through your health plan.

Your own health plan may or may not cover a surrogate pregnancy

Health plans treat surrogacy in different ways:

• Some cover a surrogate pregnancy like any other pregnancy.
• Some exclude surrogacy in writing.
• Some say nothing either way.
• Some include a clause that lets the insurer seek repayment if you are paid to carry a pregnancy.

The plan summary you get from work rarely tells the whole story. The full policy document usually does. That is why a specialist reads it.

Your insurance is reviewed before you match

When you apply, the health chapter asks what kind of coverage you have. We review your current health insurance before you are matched, so everyone knows where things stand before anyone signs.

If your coverage is through Medi-Cal, Medicaid or Tricare, or you are not sure what you have, say so early. These plans have their own rules, and the review tells you what applies.

If your plan does not cover surrogacy, the intended parents buy one that does

When your plan excludes surrogacy, or the review finds it too uncertain, the intended parents pay for a policy that covers the pregnancy. This might be a regular health plan bought for you, or a policy written for surrogate pregnancies.

Some plans can only be bought at certain times of year. That can affect timing, so the plan is usually settled before the embryo transfer. You do not pay the premiums.

Deductibles and copays are not yours to pay

Even a good plan has deductibles, copays and coinsurance. Your agreement says how these are paid, for example directly from escrow or as a reimbursement with receipts. Some agreements also cover your premiums for the months of the surrogacy if you keep your own plan.

If a bill connected to the surrogacy arrives in your name, do not pay it. Send it to your coordinator, and we will make sure it goes to the right place.

Life insurance protects your family

Most agreements include a term life insurance policy for you, paid for by the intended parents. Your agreement sets the amount and how long it lasts, which is usually through the pregnancy and for a period after. You choose who receives it, often your partner or your children.

The baby's care is the intended parents' to cover

From birth, the baby's medical care is billed to the intended parents' coverage, not yours. Before the due date, your coordinator works with the hospital's social worker on a birth plan, so the hospital knows who is responsible for the baby.

Some agreements include other coverage

Depending on the agreement, there may be other protections, such as coverage if you cannot work for a time because of pregnancy complications. Lost wages for appointments and doctor-ordered bed rest are reimbursed with proof. Ask your lawyer what your agreement includes, and what it does not.

Five questions are worth asking before you sign

• Does my current plan cover a surrogate pregnancy, and who confirmed it?
• If not, which plan will cover me, and when does it start?
• Who pays my deductibles, copays and premiums, and how?
• What should I do if a bill comes to me?
• How much life insurance is included, and who chooses the beneficiary?

You can start with a short pre-screen

If you are 21 to 42 and have had at least one healthy, full-term pregnancy, you can start with our pre-screen. It takes a few minutes, and a real person on our team will follow up with you. For how pay and benefits fit together, read Surrogate pay in California comes in clear, scheduled parts.

This article is general information. It is not legal, medical or insurance advice.