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Health Insurance Texas With Maternity

Posted in Uncategorized | August 27th, 2011

Texas Infertility Law Questions?

I’ve been reading about the Texas infertility law and am in need of clarity. So if an insurance company offers maternity coverage they have to offer invitro coverage as well? I also read that your employer is not required to make it apart of your health benefits package. Do they mean they do not have to include the maternity benefits or invitro coverage?
Im pretty confused because the law says they have to offer the invitro coverage with maternity benefits so they can’t just have maternity without the invitro coverage right? I mean isn’t that what the whole law is about.
Clarity Please?
I looked into the law in detail. That’s where I got my information. Texas Insurance Code Section 1366.003 – Offer Of Coverage Required – http://law.onecle.com/texas/insurance/chapter1366.html.
I hope my employer offers it otherwise that was a waste of time to make the law because what employer would cover that unless that just had a big heart?

Here’s the link the specific law:

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/IN/htm/IN.1366.htm#1366.001

Essentially, it requires that all health insurers offer and make available coverage for services and benefits for expenses incurred or prepaid for outpatient expenses that may arise from in vitro fertilization procedures. In order to qualify for in vitro fertilization services, the couple must have a history of infertility for at least five years or have specified medical conditions resulting in infertility. The law includes exemptions for religious employers.

As far as I can tell (I haven’t examined the law in detail), it doesn’t look like there is any requirement for the employer to carry the coverage. The law merely requires that the insurance offer the coverage.

Edit: For employers who hire employees in competitive fields, those employers need to offer very good compensation and benefits packages. It usually has nothing to do with having a “big heart” as you put it. It’s about hiring and retaining the best people. For example, if you have two job offers and one offers in vitro fertilization assistance and one doesn’t, I think it’s an easy choice for you if all other factors are equal.