CME Credit Available
This activity offers
1 Category 1-A AOA
1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

About

The landscape of infertility treatment coverage and access is rapidly evolving, with significant implications for patient care and outcomes. As of 2023, 21 states mandate private insurance coverage for infertility treatments, with 14 states specifically requiring IVF coverage. Concurrently, there has been a marked increase in large employers offering IVF coverage through their health plans, rising from less than 25% in the 2010s to 36% in 2021, with even higher rates among very large employers.

This shifting terrain presents both opportunities and challenges for OBGYN generalists. There is a growing need for earlier patient referrals to fertility specialists, allowing for more timely and effective workups and treatments. Additionally, increased coverage may open up possibilities for proactive fertility preservation strategies, such as egg freezing.

This CME activity will equip OBGYN generalists with up-to-date knowledge on infertility treatment coverage trends, strategies for optimal patient referral timing, and insights into fertility preservation options. By enhancing understanding in these areas, participants will be better prepared to navigate the changing landscape of infertility care and improve patient outcomes.

Faculty
Jennifer Nichols, DO, FACOOG (Dist)

Dr Nichols completed her post-graduate fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania in 2010. She is a Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist who received her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center. She takes pride in giving patients the best overall care from infertility workup, with individualized fertility treatments including ovulation induction, inseminations, and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). She has served on the ACOOG Board of Trustees and participates on the AOBOG Sub-specialty REI committee as well as an examiner for the AOBOG REI oral examination for board certification. She has worked to train and educate residents during her years of practice both in the clinic as well as through lectures and truly experiences gratification in teaching to not only the students she comes across but to patients who want to learn as they go through the fertility journey.

Learning Objectives
Those participating in this activity will receive information that should allow them to:

• Summarize current trends in infertility treatment coverage by private insurers and large employers across the United States.
• Identify the potential benefits of early referral to fertility specialists for patient workup and treatment.
• Explain the importance of timely patient education regarding fertility preservation options, including egg freezing.
• Discuss the evolving landscape of infertility treatment access and its implications for patient care.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures
ACOOG requires each planner and presenter to identify all conflicts of interest, and mitigates risk of bias using a series of strategies for relevant conflicts. Unless otherwise noted below, the ACOOG, ACOOG staff and planners for this activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Dr. Nichols has no relevant relationship with an ineligible company to disclose.

Webinar Information
This is a live webinar. Those who register will be able to submit question to the faculty member. In this format, you will not be able to interact with other participants during the session. 

System Requirements
An internet connected device (computer or mobile device) with high speed access is required. The platform is Zoom. You'll need to install the Zoom Client, available here. To test your system for Zoom, click here. It is designed to work on most popular web browsers. JavaScript and cookies should be enabled in your browser in order for the activity to properly work. If you're experiencing technical issues, please update your browser, and clear your browsing history, cookies, and cache. This often solves most common technical issues.

Requirements for Successful Completion
To successfully complete this activity, participants must:

• Participate in the webinar
• Complete the activity evaluation
• Claim credit

A certificate will be available in the ACOOG learning center (under transcripts) when the session is over AND you complete the evaluation. 

Commercial Support
This activity is not commercially supported. 

CME Accreditation
The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to provide osteopathic continuing medical education for physicians.

The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CME Credit Designation
The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this program for a maximum of 1 AOA Category 1-A credits and will report CME and specialty credits commensurate with the extent of the physician’s participation in this activity.

The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACOG Cognate Credit(s)
The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this activity for Category 1 College Cognate Credits. Maximum Cognates are equal to the number of  maximum AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM . A reciprocity agreement with the AMA exists that allows AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM to be equivalent to ACOG Cognate Credits.

NPs, PAs & CNMs
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) recognizes activities approved for Category 1-A credit through the American Osteopathic Association and Category 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ as providing advanced practice CE content hours for applicants seeking renewal through continuing education credit.

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) recognizes activities approved for Category 1-A credit through the American Osteopathic Association and AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ as Regular Category 1 CME for national certification maintenance.

The Certificate Maintenance Program of the American Midwifery Certification Board accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ to satisfy its contact hours requirement. 

All NPs, PAs, CNMs and other health professionals participating in this activity will receive a certificate of completion commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. ACOOG strongly recommends all non-physician health professionals check with their certification/licensing organizations to confirm credit reciprocity.

Disclaimer
This activity is offered by the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOOG) for educational purposes only. Every patient case is different, and physicians must rely on their medical knowledge, experience, and relationships with patients to make clinical decisions. This material is not intended to represent the best or only methods or procedures appropriate for the condition discussed; rather the material is intended to present an approach, view, statement or opinion of the authors or presenters, which may be helpful, or of interest to other practitioners. Physician judgment must remain central to the selection of diagnostic tests, management strategies, therapy options, and follow-up of a specific patient's medical condition.

Use of Artificial Intelligence
The closed captions and summaries provided in this content are automatically generated by artificial intelligence (AI). While AI can enhance accessibility and comprehension, it is not infallible and may produce errors. Please keep this in mind as you engage with and apply the content. 

Grievances
Any registrant finding evidence that the continuing medical education program presented is inappropriate with regard to facilities, materials, content, or observes any unacceptable promotion by a commercial interest in the same room as the educational activity, whether by company representative or presenter, may submit a grievance in writing to ACOOG, PO Box 17598, Fort Worth, TX 76102. Unresolved issues regarding this activity will require a formal written complaint to the AOA Division of CME, 142 East Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60611.

Privacy Policy
This activity complies with ACOOG’s privacy policies.

Data Use
Data collected as part of this activity may be analyzed as part of educational research to study the effectiveness of educational interventions on health care, population health, health care providers and others, or to identify additional needs and gaps for future interventions.

Refunds
Refunds are not available for this educational product.