Surrogacy Assistance Program

Columbia University's Surrogacy Financial Assistance Program is a family building option where a gestational carrier or surrogate agrees to carry a child for an individual or couple who will become the child's parent(s) after birth. This benefit may help offset the high costs associated with surrogacy by providing reimbursement for eligible expenses, which may include surrogacy agency or legal fees, IVF and medical costs related to surrogacy, medical expenses related to a surrogate's pregnancy, and more.

New

Starting January 1, 2027, fertility and family building benefits will be provided by Progyny. Current Maven members will automatically be enrolled with Progyny.

How the Benefit Works

Columbia University will reimburse up to $30,000 per lifetime of eligible surrogacy expenses. The $30,000 per lifetime limit applies to the eligible employee's entire household, meaning that, if the eligible employee has a spouse who also qualifies as an eligible employee, the combined benefit the eligible employees may receive under the program is limited to $30,000 per lifetime. Regular benefits-eligible Officers and regular Non-Union Support Staff are eligible for this program.

IMPORTANT: Reimbursements received through Maven count toward the $30,000 lifetime limit. Any amount reimbursed through Maven reduces the amount available through Progyny. If you have already received the full $30,000 lifetime maximum through Maven, you are not eligible for reimbursement through Progyny.

The benefit provided under the program is taxable, meaning that it appears in the eligible employee's paycheck and is subject to applicable federal, state and/or city taxes as well as FICA and Medicare taxes.

How to Apply

Employees become eligible for employer reimbursements upon hire.

Each plan year starts each January 1st and ends each December 31st.

Who is eligible?

  • Regular benefit eligible Officers
  • Regular benefit eligible Non-Union Support Staff (NUSS)
     

Who is ineligible?

  • Union employees, regardless of their participation in the Columbia University medical plan, are ineligible:
    • Local 2110
    • SSA
    • TWU
    • TWU-Lamont
    • 1199 East
    • Material Handlers
    • Local 100
    • Local 32BJ
    • MEBA/MM&P/1199
  • Non-grandfathered Domestic partners
  • Pre-and-post-age 65 retirees on a United Healthcare, Aetna or VIA retiree medical Plan
     

Important Notes on Expense Eligibility

  • Eligible expenses must be incurred after employee eligibility begins.
    • Eligible expenses include those for services for you or your spouse/covered dependent.
  • Any expense that is reimbursed by any other source (including any reimbursement accounts held by your eligible spouse/covered dependent) is ineligible for reimbursement.

Eligible expenses must be incurred after employee eligibility begins. Eligible expenses include those for services for you or your spouse/covered dependent.

Any expense that is reimbursed by any other source (including any reimbursement accounts held by your eligible spouse/covered dependent) is ineligible for reimbursement.

You'll be required to provide a copy of the formal, signed surrogacy agreement or a letter from an attorney attesting that there is a signed agreement or that the arrangement is legal despite the absence of a signed agreement.

Important:

  • Reimbursement for surrogacy costs is not available in every country. Please contact your Progyny Care Advocate (PCA) to see if you can be reimbursed for surrogacy costs in your country before incurring any surrogacy costs.
    • Any surrogacy arrangement or expense incurred in violation of applicable laws in the location where obtained or in the U.S. is ineligible for reimbursement.
  • Expenses related to the retrieval of reproductive material (i.e. eggs, sperm) of the covered member for the purposes of being transferred to a gestational carrier are ineligible for reimbursement.
  • Expenses are eligible for reimbursement 180 after the signed surrogacy agreement or after the expense was incurred, whichever is later.

Eligible Expenses

  • Surrogacy agency or legal fees 
    • Attorney fees for both intended parents and surrogate
    • Psych screening and home visit fees for surrogate
    • Psych screening and home visit fees for intended parent(s)
    • Court fees
    • Surrogate/gestational carrier compensation
    • Surrogate/gestational carrier escrow funds
    • Fees associated with the adoption of a child through a legally recognized surrogate arrangement
  • IVF and medical costs related to surrogacy
    • Surrogate/gestational carrier screening costs
    • Embryo(s) transfer costs
  • Medical expenses related to a surrogate's pregnancy (which may include but are not limited to: surrogate’s maternity insurance, surrogate’s deductible, surrogate’s co-insurance)
  • Medical expenses for the intended parent that are not covered under the current medical policy
  • Travel expenses for the intended parents or surrogate related to the surrogacy
  • Consultant/specialist fees
     

Ineligible Expenses

  • Expenses already paid for or reimbursed by another employer, benefit, program, or party
  • Costs paid using funds received from any federal, state, or local program
  • Expenses allowed as a credit or deduction under any federal income tax rule
  • Surrogacy arrangements that are not legally recognized
  • Any expenses that violate state or federal law
  • Medical expenses related to an intended parent’s pregnancy (must be billed to medical)
  • Expenses not paid in US dollars
  • Gifts or personal expenses to a gestational carrier or their family members
  • Gifts or personal expenses to an egg, sperm, or embryo donor
  • Voluntary donations or contributions to the surrogacy agency
  • Cost of living expenses or personal items (rent, utilities, food, over-the-counter supplements, clothing, transportation to appointments, etc.)
  • Loss of income, including but not limited to loss due to pregnancy complications (e.g., bed rest for surrogacy)
  • Meals while traveling
  • Testing related to the transfer of genetic material for anyone other than the donor (e.g., infectious disease testing, risk assessments, physical exams, psychological evaluations)
  • Expenses related to the retrieval of reproductive material (i.e. eggs, sperm) of the covered member for the purposes of being transferred to a gestational carrier
  1. Contact your Progyny Care Advocate (PCA) at 844-866-9845 and request assistance with the Surrogacy Reimbursement application.
     
  2. Your Progyny Care Advocate will review the reimbursement policy with you, noting eligible expenses may be submitted for reimbursement as expenses are incurred until your $30,000 expense limit has been reached.
     
  3. Once you are ready to request a reimbursement, submit your expense(s) for reimbursement, using the Progyny Attestation Form.
     
  4. Progyny will review expenses and submit a report to Columbia University dedicated point-of-contact, including total reimbursable amounts, reimbursement categories, and the member's Employee ID (or similar identifier).
     
  5. Columbia University issues reimbursement to you within the next 2 to 3 payroll periods.

If upon review of your claim for reimbursement, a portion of, or your entire claim is denied, you will be notified of this denial in writing, within a reasonable amount of time. The determination of the AVP, Benefits with respect to your claim shall be binding and final. Should you wish to bring a civil court action challenging the denial of a portion of, or your entire claim, you must file any such action within one (1) year following the issuance of the denial notice. In addition, any such action must be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction with venue in New York County.