IVF treatments to be covered by Aasandha insurance from March

Following the determination that In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), can be performed thrice under the Aasandha insurance scheme, policies have now been formulated to commence execution next month.

CEO of National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) that manages all health insurance schemes of the state, Heena Waleed shared with Mihaaru News that the policy was created with the inclusion of IUI (Intrauterine insemination) and IVF in the Aasandha scheme with consideration to the procedures in foreign countries that practice it.

She assured that technical experts within the country and fertility support communities were fully involved in this development.

This pledge within the current administration’s 100-day roadmap to cover treatment for women who are unable to conceive naturally through Aasandha insurance will be executed from the 15th of next month.

The policy has been distributed to two categories; IVF and IUI.

IUI

- Couples seeking aid must have been married for three years

- Must have a natural health issue rendering the couple infertile or must have been unsuccessful in conceiving for the past three years due to unidentified reasons. Must be guided by the advice of a related specialist indicating that IUI is the best course of action

- Wife must be between 25-41 years of age while husband must be under 55 years of age

- The couple seeking aid must not have undergone a fertility related operation

- The couple must cease all forms of smoking 6 months prior to seeking aid

- The woman must have a body mass index of 19-30 at the time of seeking aid

IVF

- Couple seeking aid must be married for three years

- Must have a natural health issue rendering the couple infertile or must have been unsuccessful in conceiving for the past three years due to unidentified reasons. Must be guided by the advice of a related specialist indicating that IVF is the best course of action

- Women must be between 30-41 years of age at the time of seeking aid. Men applying for assistance must be under 55 years. However, if the wife is above 25 years and a related specialist has advised that this treatment is the best course of action, alongside approving all the aforementioned conditions, aid for the treatment may be sought

- The woman must have a body mass index of 19-30 at the time of seeking aid

- The couple must cease all forms of smoking 6 months prior to seeking aid

- Must not have undergone IVF treatment thrice before under personal expense

Under this scheme, a specific budget must be allocated each year for IVF treatments. Financial assistance will be provided to couples who are allocated the highest points. Within the conditions for points distribution, marital duration, age, number of existing children, housing procedures and income range will also be considered.

In addition to medicinal treatments, two-way tickets, accommodation and food will also be covered for the couple undergoing treatment as determined. Recipients of the aid must be informed that Aasandha insurance has been approved for the IVF treatment within 30 days of applying and the procedure must be begun within three months following the notice of approval. If these steps are not adhered, the approved aid will be nullified. Furthermore, Aasandha insurance for IVF treatments will only be approved thrice, within a window of two years. The scheme will not cover any expenses beyond this duration.

These three treatments were determined with consideration to tests done in preparation for the procedure alongside medications, retrieval of the woman’s fertile egg, preparation of the embryo as well as embryo transfer.

If treatment for infertility was begun earlier, a new round of IVF treatments can be commenced if the wife’s fertile egg has been transferred to the embryo as stipulated in the policy. Additionally, if the embryo was preserved during earlier treatments, the aid arranged under this scheme will initially utilize the preserved embryo.

NSPA stated that the IVF and IUI treatment will be undergone in foreign and local hospitals that are empaneled within Aasandha insurance scheme. The sole hospital that offers these two treatments within the country is Treetop hospital, however, some local clinics offer IUI services for patients.

The government has determined to establish a National Fertility Clinic in order to strengthen treatments for infertility.

If natural pregnancies are hindered, the next solution for conceiving is undergoing IVF and IUI treatments. Maldivians have been visiting India for these treatment until recently due to the unavailability of these treatment within the country. While one round of IVF requires a fund of MVR 60,000, Aasandha insurance did not cover this procedure regardless of the steep expense. However, NSPA has been providing assistance for couples departing the country for infertility treatments with two-way tickets and a financial aid of USD 500.