Lack of data affects infertility cover

MUMBAI: In some government-owned companies like ONGC, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, employees are allowed to claim their annual medical reimbursement benefits in lieu of bills presented for infertility treatments.
"The problem with such a cover is that it is difficult for an insurer to design a product without data to calculate the probability of occurrence, not to mention the expense attached to the treatment," says Delhi-based Rahul Agarwal, head of Optima Risk Management Services, an insurance broking firm.An IVF procedure costs about Rs 1 lakh in India per cycle, while the more common treatment — artificial insemination — can cost Rs 10,000.
"The argument that such treatments are expensive and thus cannot be covered is an invalid one. Studies in the US, where 13 states have made it mandatory for insurance companies and employers to offer this cover, have shown that insurance covers do not increase the cost of the treatment. This is an issue employers are going to have to address given the rising number of cases," says Dr Aniruddha Malpani, a Mumbai-based infertility treatment specialist.
Interestingly, adds Dr Malpani, about 20% of his patients are IT professionals.