Costco, IVI RMA North America, and direct-access healthcare platform Sesame have announced a partnership designed to lower the cost and simplify access to fertility care for Costco members across the U.S.
The model works like this: Costco members sign up for a monthly membership through Sesame, which provides care coordination, comprehensive diagnostic workups, and referrals to IVI RMA when specialty treatment is clinically appropriate. Fertility medications are fulfilled through Costco’s pharmacy with exclusive member pricing – including savings of up to 80% on medications like Follistim, one of the biggest out-of-pocket expenses in fertility treatment. IVI RMA provides the clinical care, including IVF and IUI, at negotiated rates for Costco members.
“By combining transparent pricing with coordinated care, we’re removing the barriers that have historically kept quality fertility treatment out of reach for too many families,” said Richard Stephens, Costco’s SVP of Pharmacy.
IVI RMA is one of the largest fertility networks in the world, spanning 25 IVF laboratories and responsible for over 220,000 babies born to date. The network includes Reproductive Medicine Associates, Boston IVF, and Toronto-based TRIO. CEO Lynn Mason referenced a recent presidential executive order on fertility access as a catalyst: “We are expanding access to quality fertility care and reducing barriers so more people across the country can build the families they desire.”
The partnership reflects a growing trend of non-traditional players entering the fertility space to address cost barriers. With 1 in 6 Americans affected by infertility and many paying entirely out of pocket, the Costco pharmacy channel could meaningfully reduce medication costs – often thousands of dollars per cycle – for a large consumer base that already trusts the brand for value.
