Costco members get discounted pricing on everything from gasoline to rotisserie chickens. And now, that list includes affordable fertility care too.
Glamour can exclusively reveal that, starting today, the big-box warehouse chain is partnering with cash-pay healthcare platform Sesame and fertility experts IVI RMA North America to offer its 81 million global members access to comprehensive fertility care coordination and treatment as well as up to 80% savings on fertility medications with Costco exclusive pricing.
“We’re proud to support this partnership with Sesame and IVI RMA, which reflects our shared commitment to making fertility care more accessible and affordable for families,” Richard Stephens, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy at Costco, tells Glamour. “Collaborating with leaders who bring both clinical expertise and innovative care coordination allows us to offer our Costco Members meaningful support throughout their family-building journey with clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.”
This should be exciting news for the 1 in 6 Americans who deal with infertility, especially those without health insurance or paying out-of-pocket because of inadequate coverage. The biggest barriers to entry with fertility are affordability and access, something this partnership has the potential to address in a unique way.
Not only is Costco located all across the country and has 145 million cardholders, but IMI RMA is a leading expert in fertility care with its own large network of IVF laboratories. Meanwhile, Sesame is an innovative self-pay healthcare with a platform that operates in all 50 states and connects patients directly with doctors without insurance as a middle-man.
Basically, the partnership works like this: Costco members seeking fertility treatment have immediate access to Sesame clinicians—bypassing the typical 3-6 month wait to see a reproductive endocrinologist—for a comprehensive intake and diagnostic workup. If additional care is required, like IVF or egg freezing, patients will be referred to IMI RMA ready to start on a treatment plan right away. Sesame’s clinicians will also stay with the patient throughout any IMI RMA procedures to help translate medical terminology, provide emotional support, and offer any other care coordination needed.
This program also comes with a universal intake policy. So where other fertility clinics might screen a prospective patient for age or complexity, Sesame offers a comprehensive workup and coordinate care where appropriate.
This all sounds amazing, of course, but it’s the cost benefits that’ll have most people excited about the partnership. Any IVI RMA procedures required—including IUI, IVF, and egg freezing—will come with Costco exclusive pricing, about $1,640 to $2,296 per IVF cycle (based on 10-14 cartridges). To put that in perspective, a single IVF cycle of medications typically costs between $3,000 to $6,000 for self-pay patients. TrumpRx pricing ranges from $2,105–$2,962 per cycle, before dispensing and shipping fees.