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Call To Action !!!

If you joined us in ALBANY ON APRIL 20th, Thank-You.? A great deal was accomplished..... but we're not done yet. ?? Please, please - write to your Senators, Assemblyman and Representative and ask them to make our bill a law.? Please click here for more information and a sample letter.

Call To Action !!!
On Tuesday, June 16th, members and friends of AIA gathered at 103rd Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to show support for insurance coverage for infertility treatment in New York State.

Pictures From The Rally Can Be Seen Here

Hotline For Unfair Treatment From Insurance Companies
If you are being unfairly denied infertility insurance coverage you can now call a hotline phone number () instituted by Attorney General Dennis C. Vacca'a Health Care Bureau.?

They Hear But They Do Not Listen
Pamela Madsen comments on the recently published proposals of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law - "Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Analysis and Recommendations for Public Policy."

Take Action: Contact Members of Congress!
The AIA the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) are working to raise awareness about infertility among members of Congress.

Bills in the New York State Assembly
Two bills mandating infertility insurance coverage, (A09266 and (A09667), are currently in the New York Assembly Insurance Committee

Infertility and The Workplace
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are both potential tools by which those undergoing treatment or those undertaking adoptions can receive need accommodations

Aetna U.S. Healthcare Heard from Thousands
Aetna U.S. Healthcare has issued its final decision regarding coverage of infertility treatment

Federal Updates
AIA and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine are working to raise awareness about infertility in Congress.

U.S. Health Care Participants!
U.S. Healthcare has been considering making changes to its infertility program beginning in early 1998.

Advocacy Alert !! We need everyones help !!
AETNA/US Healthcare, which has offered infertility package programs to patients in several states, has declared that this program has become almost too successful and too costly from the viewpoint of the insurance company.

CALL TO ACTION

Do you believe that hopeful parents deserve
access to the treatment that can help them have a child?

IF YOU SAY YES, THEN
JOIN US !
FOR AN IMPORTANT EVENT

On Tuesday, June 16th, members and friends of RESOLVE of New York City will gather at 103rd Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to show support for insurance coverage for infertility treatment in New York State.

IF YOU WANT TO BE HEARD, JOIN US!!!

Last month, the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law issued a report on infertility treatment. The findings of this report will be presented on June 16th at the NY Academy of Medicine. In its report, the Task Force states: "We do not recommend legislation requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for assisted reproduction." RESOLVE NYC disagrees. Infertility is a disease, and mandated coverage is the only way to guarantee that people who experience infertility will not be denied access to medically appropriate treatment by their health insurance providers.

A recent national study found that infertility treatment costs only about $2.50 per year for each member in a health plan. This is about the cost of a cappuccino or a Big Mac. We think that children - including the children we hope to have - are worth more than a cup of coffee. If you agree, then please, please join us. We need to show that there is support for this important issue.

WHAT:?? RESOLVE NYC gathering at the Life and the Law Task Force meeting.

WHEN:??? Tuesday, June 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: The northeast corner of 103rd Street and 5th Avenue, across the street from the NY Academy of Medicine.

RESOLVE of New York City is sponsoring this event. We will supply everything you need, including banners, signs, t-shirts. We invite you to bring empty baby strollers as a visual sign of support for this issue. We also welcome members who have resolved their infertility. Bring your children or other family members or friends. This is a critical issue of fairness. We need your support.

For more information, call Pam Madsen, Executive Director of RESOLVE NYC, at

They Hear But They Do Not Listen

Raina Baim, RESOLVE of New York Citys Advocacy Chair, and I gave testimony to the panel of The New York State Life and the Law Task Force nearly two years to the day before they published their recommendations concerning infertility therapies in New York. For those of you who do not know who or what the Task Force is, let me give you a little background.

The New York State Life and the Law Task Force was convened in 1985 and has a mandate to develop public policy on a host of issues arising from medical advances, including withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, assisted suicide, tissue transplantation and the assisted reproductive technologies. The Task Force members include leaders in the fields of law, medicine, nursing, philosophy , and bioethics., as well as patient advocates and representatives of diverse religious communities.

For each issue the Task Force addresses, it makes policy recommendations to the New York State legislature in the form of proposed legislation, regulations, public education, or other measures. The Task Force reports are designed to explain the basis for its recommendations and to facilitate public discussion and understanding of the ethical, social and legal questions posed by medical advances. Recommendations made by the Task Force have also been embraced as a model for legislation in other states.

Even as we applaud many of the fine proposals made by the Task Force, we are forced to express our heartfelt dismay at their recommendations against a mandate to insure coverage for individuals experiencing infertility. Even after all of our communication with the Task Force that occurred through our testimonials, our members writing letters about their experiences, their reading of our newsletter on a monthly basis, and their attendance at our conferences, the Task Force still misunderstood what New Yorkers are asking for in regard to infertility coverage. We are not asking for the government to pay for our medical treatment, only that our insurance companies be prevented from discriminating against us by denying us coverage for the treatment of our disease. We cant say they did not hear, only that they did not listen.

The recommendations put forth by the Task Force also imply that the typical infertility patient is not well-informed about the procedures that are needed to build their families. More than five thousand infertile New Yorkers are educated each year by RESOLVE and their physicians about the correlation between the transfer of more than three embryos and the risk of high-order multiple births. The problem is that many patients who, through medical necessity, require the use of assisted reproductive technologies and then find they do no have health insurance coverage, are often frightened into an aggressive approach to treatment protocols. After all, when they are faced with financing medical treatments out of pocket, they can end up mortgaging their homes, running up incredible credit-card debts, or borrowing from relatives to pay for treatment. Every day, couples are informed about the risk of multiples in infertility clinics across the metropolitan area, but they are forced to give more consideration to their personal financial limitations when contemplating an already complex and emotional healthcare decision.

Carl Colemen, the Executive Director of the Life and the Law Task Force tried to explain the Task Forces reasoning behind their recommendations. Their reasoning seems to center around the lack of preventive care treatments that are not covered by insurance benefits in New York State which the Task Force deemed more important, such as dental care and pap smears.

RESOLVE also supports preventive care that would in fact lessen the incidence of infertility, but unfortunately, patients face the daily reality of their current disease and their lack of insurance.

I encourage all of you to come to the Task Forcess all day Symposium on June 16th, at the New York Academy of Medicine to discuss the Task Force's recent report: "Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Analysis and Recommendations for Public Policy." Speakers will include the New York State health commissioners, members of the Task Force, leading ART practitioners and consumer advocates. The symposium will be held at the New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, on June 16th, 1998, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. For further information, please call the Academy of Medicine at .

I think every RESOLVE member should be there to listen and participate in the conversation concerning the Task Forces recommendations. If you are interested in helping us in our advocacy efforts please call me. Now is the time for action.

Only when the financial burden of infertility treatment is covered by insurance, just like any other disease, will the current discriminatory practices be ended.

Pamela Madsen

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Hotline For Unfair Treatment From Insurance Companies

Are You Being Unfairly Denied Infertility Insurance Coverage?

You can now call a Hotline phone number () instituted by Attorney General Dennis C. Vacca'a Health Care Bureau.? Health Care Bureau representatives? who answer calls may bring you one major step closer to getting the coverage your policy provides.? They have personally intervened with carriers and advocated on behalf of policy holers who have had a good case - i.e., they clearly are being denied coverage covered by their policy - and have overturned denials.

This infludential source is good news for the increasing number of RESOLVE members who are battling their carriers alone for fair treatment.

If you do call, please say that you are a RESOLVE NYC member if you are, and if you are not, that you recived the information from RESOLVE NYC.?

If you do have a case, please consider calling it into RESOLVE's NYC's support line. They will pass it on to the Insurance Advocacy Committee.? We are collecting insurance "horror" stories to share with the legislative representatives with whom we are in contact.? RESOLVE NYC is actively striving to change our New York State mandate so that everyone who experiences the disease of infertility is covered for necessary medical treatment.

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Take Action: Contact Members of Congress!

RESOLVE and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) are working to raise awareness about infertility among members of Congress. As of mid-April, no federal legislation has been introduced.. Many legislators have express that they do not hear from constituents about this issue. It is very important that members of Congress hear from you! Write or call your Senators and Representative and let them know about the impact that infertility has had on your life. You can find a sample letter on National RESOLVEs web site. (http://www.resolve.org). As we work to advocate for infertility insurance coverage, as well as a host of other issues that affect those experiencing infertility, it is vital that members of congress recognize the fact that their constituents are touched by infertility.

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Bills in the New York State Assembly

Two bills mandating infertility insurance coverage, (A09266 and (A09667), are currently in the New York Assembly Insurance Committee. A third bill, (A08877), covering a variety of womens health concerns, including mandated infertility insurance coverage, is also in the Assembly Insurance Committee. A Senate sponsor has not yet been identified for any of the bills.

Let your Senator know that you would like him/her to sponsor one of these bills!

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Infertility and The Workplace

FMLA/ADA: Legal Protections?

In response to an article in this winters RESOLVE National Newsletter, many people have written or called National RESOLVE regarding problems they have faced at work when they requested accommodations for their infertility treatments or for adoption proceedings.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are both potential tools by which those undergoing treatment or those undertaking adoptions can receive need accommodations. However, employers often question the applicability of these federal laws in certain cases. For example, a number of people faced resistance when they attempted to utilize the FMLA to take some time off while getting treatments. Others have called because of denials of paid leave when they adopted a child, despite the availability of paid leave when a woman gives birth to a child.

The purpose of collecting these stories is to utilize them for advocacy efforts aimed at combating such workplace difficulties. No names will be used in these efforts. If you have faced any such difficulties, please call or write to the National Goverment Affair Director, Deborah Wachenheim, at the National RESOLVE office. (RESOLVE, 1310 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144-1779. Tel: ).

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Aetna U.S. Healthcare Heard from Thousands!

Aetna U.S. Healthcare has issued its final decision regarding coverage of infertility treatment. The company will discontinue coverage of ART's (including IVF) for new members as of April, and it will discontinue coverage for current members when it comes time for a renewal of their policies. Coverage of the advanced procedures will still be offered to employers as a rider, which they can purchase at an extra cost. If you are currently a member of Aetna U.S. Healthcare, contact your employee benefits manager to find out whether or not your employer will provide this extra coverage, and express your opinion regarding the provision of coverage.

RESOLVE and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine undertook a widespread campaign once Aetna U.S. Healthcare announced its decision to discontinue coverage. Thank-you to everyone who took the time to write and make phone calls expressing your concerns and disappointment. They received thousands of letters and calls, and there was also a lot of media coverage. A positive outcome of this unfortunate decision has been the increased attention and awareness given to fertility.

Next Steps: Continue to Educate and Inform

In making its decision to cut back infertility coverage, Aetna U.S. Healthcare stated that it costs were driven up because it was one of? the few insurance companies t provide comprehensive coverage, and , as a result, many people experiencing infertility joined the plan.? Now that the issue of infertility insurance coverage has been raised and there is a greater awareness of the need for coverage, you can take advantage of this opportunity to educate your insurance company and employee benefits manager. Action: Write letters, or make personal contacts, explaining the need for infertility insurance coverage. Go to the National RESOLVE web site and click on Advocacy Update to find a sample letter to use in this effort. Contact Deborah Wachenheim, Government Affairs Director at RESOLVE, if your employer or insurance provider needs more detailed information.

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Federal Updates

RESOLVE and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine are working to raise awareness about infertility in Congress. Some members of Congress have expressed an interest in sponsoring an infertility insurance mandate. As of mid-February, no bill has been introduced, so there is no need for your to contact your Senators and Representatives at this time. If legislation is introduced, there will be a notice on our web site or in our newsletter. Everyone who has contacted RESOLVE requesting to be part of the e-mail advocacy network will receive information as soon as there is an update, so if you have not yet requested to be on the list, send an email message to and direct it to Deborah. Please provide your name, address and telephone number in the body of the message.

Cloning Legislation Is Stalled

Members of the House and Senate have introduced legislation to place restrictions on cloning and the use of cloning technology . RESOLVE worked actively in coalition with many other concerned organization to prevent such legislation from including provisions that could impact promising disease research and the development and use of potential procedures for treating infertility and other diseases. There was an attempt to bring a potentially damaging bill directly to the Senate floor for a vote, rather than allowing it to proceed through the usual committee process of debate and deliberation.? Thanks to the concerns expressed to the Senators from RESOLVE and other patient groups and the medical and research communities, the bill was not brought to the floor. A second bill, sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy and Dianne Feinstein, has been sent to committee for further deliberation. The House is also debating a bill which is currently in committee. RESOLVE will continue to follow this issue and to work in a coalition to ensure that any legislation that is passed does not unduly restrict important research and treatments.

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Infertility Insurance Resource Available

An excellent new resource is available to explain to managed care providers, insurance plans and employee benefit managers why employee-provider health care coverage should include coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Created by the national employee benefit consulting firm of William M. Mercer, the "Infertility as a Covered Benefit" material includes a twelve page "executive summary" that is being widely distributed to employee benefits managers and managed care organizations, as well as a comprehensive binder on the issue that William M. Mercer maintains at its offices across the country. RESOLVE members can receive copies of the "Infertility as a Covered Benefit" executive summary through the national help line. Employees who want their employers to offer infertility benefits as part of their health plan should request their benefits manager or their health care providers to contact Lisa Aster of William M. Mercer at . An Electronic version of this resource may soon be available on the world wide web.

Advocacy Alert !! We need everyones help !!

As you may be aware, AETNA/US Healthcare has offered infertility package programs to patients in several states. Included among these has been Pennsylvania, Verdana, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, District of Columbia, Delaware, and North Carolina. The basis of this contract was that each patient was to be managed for infertility under a global fee structure over a period of two years. The gynecologist was mandated to perform a hysterosalpingogram, three months of clomiphene citrate, and results of a semen analysis. Work-up and management beyond that point would be handled by the Reproductive Endocrinologist/Infertility expert.

It is now apparent that this program has become almost too successful and too costly from the viewpoint of the insurance company. Executives at AETNA have decided to terminate the plans as of April 1998. The original cost of this fertility package was stated to be in the neighborhood of $9 to $15 per year per subscriber. A reasonable cost. However, the success of this program, i.e., in that many infertility patients joined US Healthcare to obtain the benefit, has lead to its demise. [ed. If all insurance companies offered this coverage, the costs would be more fairly distributed and the program would not be a burden to anyone]. The system has allowed for collection of significant amounts of data and would be a very useful of both evaluating and treating infertility patients.

Cancellation of this program is sure to be detrimental, principally as an example to other insurance companies. Any company considering creation of such a program for infertility coverage would be dissuaded. Therefore, we are asking for your help in pressuring AETNA/US Healthcare to continue this program. I encourage you to compose letters of dismay to send them to AETNA/US Healthcare. Please write to:

Richard L. Huber
President and CEO
AETNA
151 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06156

protesting the discontinuation of this program and urging reconsideration. If you would like help composing a letter, please look at our sample letter.

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U.S. Health Care Participants!

U.S. Healthcare has been considering making changes to its infertility program beginning in early 1998. RESOLVE has been actively investigating this report, and, as of mid-October, there is not a final decision regarding changes. If you are a U.S. Heathcare member, stay alert as to any changes that may come about in the future. RESOLVE will notify its members if we become aware of any changes. In the meantime, you can call U.S. Healthcares Infertility Program at , or contact your workplaces benefits manager, to express your support for comprehensive coverage of infertility services.

Media Link:? Aetna Halting Health Coverage for Costly Fertility Treatments

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