There are many different options for couples in 2024 to grow their families. If you are considering surrogacy, there are many choices you can make that will personalize your journey and ensure it is a good fit for you. In this article we’ll discuss what is included in an agency fee.
One of the biggest decisions to make when starting your surrogacy journey is whether you will pursue an independent venture, or partner with a surrogacy agency. All agencies require a fee for their services. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we recommend that each intended parent or interested family member do their own research before making a decision. We are also happy to provide initial consultations to answer any questions.
If your research took you here, congratulations on your first step! Keep reading to get more information on why many people decide to partner with an agency.
What do surrogacy agencies do?
Surrogacy agencies, first and foremost, match an intended parent (or parents) to a surrogate match. They then help to schedule meetings, medical appointments, and more. Agencies are often partnered with medical clinics and legal teams that they trust, allowing surrogates and future parents to work with the best teams in the business.
If either party needs help with anything during the process, they can contact their case manager to assist them. Surrogacy agencies provide experience in the field and can resolve any problems you may run into.
Why work with a surrogacy agency?
All of our surrogate partners are pre-qualified after completing both physical and mental screenings, background checks, interviews, and more. We work with highly-motivated and healthy individuals who will care for your unborn child properly and affectionately. You can find more information on the surrogate screening process here.
We pair intended parents and surrogates together based on each party’s preferences. These include how often you want to communicate, how close you want to be located from each other, when you would like to schedule meetings and appointments, and more. Many intended parents have specific preferences they are looking for in a surrogate, and most agencies strive to provide a variety of options for them to choose from.
Surrogacy agencies keep you safe. Any communication with surrogacy-related parties like doctors, lawyers, mental health professionals, hospitals, and more can go through your case manager to ensure your safety. Case managers can negotiate on your behalf and demand things for your comfort. Most surrogacy agencies have enough experience to know and fight for your options.
There are many unique moving parts involved in surrogacy that intended parents might find complicated trying to navigate on their own. Coordinating travel, appointments, and schedules can be time-consuming and stressful.
In summary, working with a surrogacy agency like Los Angeles Surrogacy will give you:
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- Confidence. We are experts and we know what we’re doing.
- Expertise. We’ll ensure your comfort at every step of the way.
- Time. We’ll help you schedule out every appointment you need so you can focus on current work and future preparations for your baby.
- Safety. Let us communicate with third parties for you.
- Your preferences: met.
What is an ‘agency fee’ for a surrogacy agency?
Because surrogacy agencies work hard for you, there is a fee for their services. Many agencies label their all-inclusive fees as an “agency fee,” meaning all medical bills, lawyer payments, and any surrogacy-related expenses are included in what is owed.
As you research different surrogacy agencies to find the best fit for you, be sure that you know what is included in their agency fees. Though bundling all expenses together can be helpful to keep track of installments and can also be cost-effective, different agencies’ fees may cover different (or fewer) things.
What is included in the agency fee?
Full Coordination
Many agency fee packages include all surrogacy-related expenses from the start of your journey to the end of it. The agency you decide to work with will have a dedicated team helping you each step of the way, as the expertise of a surrogacy agency is needed in finding the right fertility clinic and law partners. You will be assigned
- A case manager, who will act as your point of contact and personal guide
- A senior program coordinator
- An attorney
- An accountant, if applicable.
You will get to know all of these people and they will be familiar with your case and your history. Part of the agency fee is to pay these people for their work. Without them, you may face complications costing you time, money, and confusion.
Your agency will also help you coordinate your schedule. Perhaps the biggest part of this is when and where your medical appointments will take place. Most surrogacy agencies partner with various fertility clinics in their area, or can recommend clinics outside of their area, that will best fit your schedule and your needs. They will also help you with any medical paperwork so you can rest easy. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we partner with the top IVF clinics in Southern California.
Because we assist with scheduling of appointments, we also help schedule travel and coordinate with both surrogate and intended parents to be sure they can both be in attendance (if they want to be, though that is not required for intended parents). We will directly send you dates, times, places, and directions to get there. We can even help to book flights, buses, or trains if needed.
Screening & Matching
To ensure prospective surrogates and intended parents are a good fit to pursue surrogacy, both will partake in pre-screening processes consisting of interviews, background checks, and assessments. Both parties will voice their preferences at this stage, such as how often and by what platform they want to communicate, where they are located, shared personality traits, and anything else they may prefer. This information will then be used to match surrogate/parent partners.
Please note that at Los Angeles Surrogacy, if you feel as though your surrogate partner is not a perfect match for you, we will redo the matching procedure at no extra cost to you.
Support
Surrogacy can be an emotional journey, and your mental health matters. Many surrogacy agencies provide monthly (or more/less depending on your needs) support to both surrogates and intended parents.
Trust Account Management
In California, your money that pays both your agency and surrogate partners is held in escrow and paid in installments. An accountant will be assigned as a member of your team to ensure your money is safe, secure, and paid in timely manners to your team members.
Click here to read more information about surrogacy in the state of California.
Legal
The agency fee will include any necessary legal fees. Legal fees cover:
- Drafting and negotiating your surrogacy contract
- Establishment of Intended Parent Rights
- Obtaining the baby’s legal documents, including birth certificate (and passport for international cases)
Insurance
All surrogates must have insurance. In some cases, surrogates may have a job with surrogacy-friendly insurance and this can be deducted from the agency fee. However, it must be included in the initial costs as a precaution.
Because of their experience in the surrogacy arena, agencies know exactly what needs to be covered by insurance and create packages based on the surrogate’s needs. This is most often the most cost-effective way to ensure medical coverage throughout the surrogacy journey.
At the end of the day, surrogacy agencies want what is best for you and will fight for you safety, comfort, and individual preferences. But we also understand that the agency you choose is a personal decision that requires research. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us or make an appointment with us here.