WASHINGTON (PRWEB) May 17, 2018

The collective efforts of Shady Grove Fertility's (SGF) physicians Drs. Gilbert Mottla, from the SGF Annapolis, MD office, and Stephanie Beall, from the SGF Columbia and Towson offices, and Loretta Trumble, CRNP from the SGF Annapolis and Columbia offices, in addition to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Alliance for Fertility Preservation, and Cervivor helped make fertility preservation now an affordable reality for patients with cancer in Maryland.

Due to their collective efforts to change policy, on May 15, 2018, Maryland Governor Hogan signed the bill that will require insurers under the Maryland mandate to cover the expense of fertility preservation, sperm and egg freezing specifically, for patients prior to medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, that likely would permanently damage their reproductive ability.

Maryland was the first state in the nation to enact infertility insurance legislation and is now the third state that also covers fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment.

"I am incredibly proud to be part of this collaborative effort to change policy that directly benefits not just Shady Grove Fertility patients but all patients. The desire to have a family is almost innate for most, and for those whose heads are still reeling with the emotion and confusion that often comes following a cancer diagnosis, to have to grapple with whether or not to also afford the cost of fertility preservation treatment, seems exceptionally challenging and unfair. Patients can now preserve their fertility without having to worry about the financial burden so they can one day have the family they always dreamed of," says Dr. Beall. "We're proud that Gov. Hogan did the right thing and made this much needed option possible," adds Beall.

"The passing of this bill will enable half of the patients who haven't been able to receive treatment to date to receive treatment, and that gives people the potential to have families that otherwise wouldn't," says Dr. Mottla who was recently featured on Great Day Washington discussing his involvement in helping to pass the Maryland fertility preservation bill.

SGF has a specially trained team devoted specifically to people with cancer. The practice works directly with a patient's oncology team to ensure they expedite fertility preservation so that cancer treatment is not delayed. Known as the SGF Oncofertility Team, this team helps guide each patient through every step of the treatment process. Due to the time sensitivity that comes with a cancer diagnosis, patients can expect an expedited treatment plan and to see a physician for consultation almost immediately.

Join SGF physicians, team members, and current/former patients on Capitol Hill for Advocacy Day, May 23, 2018. Help SGF and RESOLVE advance other pro-family building legislative initiatives and raise awareness among members of Congress about the prevalence of infertility and the need for increased insurance coverage. Interested parties can register for Advocacy Day and help make a difference in the infertility community.

To learn more about planning for pregnancy prior to cancer treatment, or to read more about SGF's advocacy efforts, visit their website.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)
SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with 50,000 babies born and counting. With 42 physicians and 29 locations throughout MD, PA, VA, GA, and D.C., we offer patients individualized care, innovative financial options, and pregnancy rates among the highest of all national centers. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/05/prweb15496907.htm

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a” (Excellent) from “a-” (Excellent) to Fidelity Life Association, A Legal Reserve Life Insurance Company (Fidelity) a new member of IA American Life Group (IAALG). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from positive. Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed FSR of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term ICRs of “aa-” (Superior) of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. (IA) (Quebec, Canada). In addition, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a” (Excellent) of IA’s U.S. life insurance entities within IAALG. The outlook of these ratings is stable. (See below for a listing of companies.)

The ratings of IA reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

IA continues to maintain a favorable level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is supported by consistently stable operating earnings which have demonstrated a trend of growth over the long term. The company is a major player in Canada’s market with leading or competitive market positions in several product lines, including segregated funds and individual insurance by policy count. Its ERM framework is considered embedded across its operations, which has resulted in relatively conservative assumptions and reserving reported historically.

The ratings of IAALG reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate ERM.

The U.S. group continues to maintain an extremely conservative investment portfolio with most of its holdings being investment-grade public bonds. In line with management expectations, statutory earnings volatility has occurred in recent years due partly to enhancing scale through sales and distribution growth. The addition of Fidelity to the group follows the acquisition of its parent company, Vericity Inc., in 2024, with its integration into the greater group over the last two years. It is expected that Fidelity, along with its digital agency, will help continue the expansion of the U.S. group of companies in the coming years.

The FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a” (Excellent) have been affirmed with stable outlooks for the following entities of the IA American Life Group:

• IA American Life Insurance Company
• American-Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas
• Pioneer Security Life Insurance Company
• Pioneer American Insurance Company
• Occidental Life Insurance Company of North Carolina

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261016153051/en/

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Senior Financial Analyst
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Source: AM Best