IVF PREGNANCY OR MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

After considerable research and advanced planning, the Center for Applied Reproductive Science (C.A.R.S.) in Johnson City, Tennessee and Asheville, North Carolina announces a 100% money back guarantee if a successful pregnancy is not achieved and baby taken home. An $18,000 up-front payment entitles the couple to receive up to three IVF attempts and the transfer of resulting frozen embryos and includes all services and costs, except fertility medications. Certain requirements must be met, including age under 40, but generally the acceptance criteria is broader and more liberal than other centers. Most IVF patients will qualify. Unlike other programs, there is a complete 100% refund of money and the inclusive price also includes specialized laboratory procedures such as direct sperm injection. It is anticipated that about 75% of couples participating will be successful in taking home a baby, which is the real goal of any therapy.

In many cases successful pregnancy is achieved in the first IVF attempt, in which case the cost of the IVF pregnancy is much higher than the cost of IVF if the guarantee had not been elected. Programs that are using similar plans report a very high degree of patient satisfaction even if a pregnancy is not achieved on the first attempt because the initial childbearing objective has been met. The more therapy that is needed, the more the financial burden shifts to C.A.R.S. The cost of conventional pricing of three cycles of IVF is significantly more, especially if cryopreservation of embryos and/or sperm injection is necessary. While this new offering is a commercial financial incentive, it can be translated into a successful win-win situation for both couple and C.A.R.S. Failure represents significantly less financial burden for the couple.

It has been proposed that success guarantee schemes contradict Section 6.01 of the American Medical Association (AMA) Code of Medical Ethics which says a physician's fee should not be made contingent on the successful outcome of medical treatment. The C.A.R.S. guarantee program is a form of insurance underwriting against the financial loss associated with IVF failure and does not alter medical therapy or guarantee success. Obviously with a pregnancy in the first attempt the plan can be more expensive, but it can offer financial insurance for the otherwise uninsured patients. While C.A.R.S. is not attempting to guarantee individual success, clearly less successful clinics cannot make such offers. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Ethics Commitee has weighed in on this subject by stating programs may be ethical if success is clearly defined, pregnancy is not guaranteed, and that patients are fully informed of the financial advantages and disadvantages of participation. We have attempted to specifically address these concerns.

C.A.R.S. has always championed individualized and cost-effective therapy. C.A.R.S. also boasts pregnancy rates well above and costs well below the national average. The primary driving force for our pricing policies is the essence of good patient care to which C.A.R.S. is and will continue to be steadfastly committed.

SST 1/15/07

Also see IVF Financial Protection Plan Details, IVF Financial Information, IVF Fees, More IVF

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