When does Maine's IVF coverage law actually start for my plan?
LD 1539 / § 4320-U + Rule 865 applies to plan years beginning on or after 2024-01-01. That is not the same as "everyone is covered on 2024-01-01." If your employer's plan year renews in, say, July, your coverage would start at that July renewal.
Find your renewal date
- Your open-enrollment materials name the plan year.
- HR can tell you in one sentence: "When does our medical plan year begin?"
- Calendar-year plans (renewing January 1) were the first to be covered.
Public employees
Public-employee plans have a later date: 2024-01-01.
What to do while you wait
- Ask HR whether the plan is fully insured (the law does not apply to self-funded plans at all).
- If you have a retrieval planned before renewal, ask the clinic whether any part can be scheduled after — a completed retrieval before the effective date will not count as covered.
- Get pre-authorization in writing once the plan year starts.