In Observance of Veterans Day Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey Extends "Helping Heroes Build Families" Program

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ), one of the nation's leading fertility clinics, today announced that in recognition of Veterans Day it has extended its Helping Heroes Build Families program into 2013.  The program is designed to help New Jersey-based active duty United States Military Services personnel and their spouses realize the dream of parenthood. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120524/NY12635LOGO )

Patients enrolled in Helping Heroes Build Families will receive one cycle of free in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment at any of RMANJ's six New Jersey locations.  Since its introduction in June 2012, RMANJ has provided more than $150,000 worth of free services to New Jersey-based active duty military personnel.  

The driving forces behind Helping Heroes Build Families are RMANJ's Dr. Richard Scott and Dr. Thomas Kim, two former military physicians who witnessed firsthand the sacrifices that service members make every day.  Now, they're hoping to give back by alleviating some of the financial barriers and accessibility challenges that military personnel face when they need fertility treatment.  For example, the U.S. military provides fertility treatment, but services are available at only four locations around the country.  Personnel stationed in New Jersey may need to travel out-of-state to receive treatment covered by the military's Tricare health insurance system, or pay out-of-pocket for services provided by private clinics.

"The Senate is considering a bill, introduced by Senator Murray of Washington, which would expand medical benefits for service members who have suffered injuries which impair their fertility, potentially robbing them of their ability to have families. Unfortunately, adequate benefits to support these great young people are not in place at the current time.  Recognizing that problem, we introduced the Helping Heroes Build Families program," said Richard T. Scott, Jr., MD, FACOG, HCLD, who completed his medical training and practiced in the Air Force before co-founding RMANJ. "Given the extraordinary personal sacrifices active duty service personnel make to serve our country, and the hope this has brought to many of them, we felt compelled to extend the program."

To be eligible for Helping Heroes Build Families, patients must:

• Be active-duty United States Military Services personnel, and spouses, in the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Coast Guard.
• Serve on a U.S. military base or facility located in New Jersey.
• Have been properly screened and diagnosed in collaboration with military healthcare providers. 

The cost of certain services normally direct billed to patients may apply. The clinic's experts will work closely with military medical professionals to ensure optimal continuity of care for patients.  For more information about eligibility and other program details, contact RMANJ at 973-871-1250 or visit http://www.rmanj.com.

"We look forward to meeting local military heroes and their spouses, thanking them for their service and providing the support and expertise necessary to help make this a joyful process," said Dr. Kim.

Undergoing just one cycle of IVF can lead to a successful pregnancy. RMANJ has a 60.9 percent success rate of live births per cycle initiated in women under 35, compared to the national average of 41.7 percent, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.  RMANJ is also known as a pioneer in using cutting-edge technology to more accurately detect healthy embryos that lead to successful pregnancies and healthy babies.

About Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey
Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey have pioneered and successfully implemented a cutting-edge technology, known as Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS) to more accurately detect healthy embryos that will lead to successful pregnancies and ultimately healthy babies. Other centers have attempted similar testing methods, but RMANJ is the only fertility center in the world to have developed a system of unprecedented accuracy, fully validated through years of rigorous clinical research. RMANJ's Comprehensive Chromosome Screening offers advanced embryo selection with extreme accuracy by detecting and avoiding use of embryos with chromosomal abnormalities prior to transfer and pregnancy. 

The fertility experts at RMANJ have among the highest IVF success rates in the country. Since 1999, they have helped bring more than 20,000 babies to loving families.  In addition to serving as the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, the practice has seven locations in New Jersey. For more information please call RMANJ at 973-871-1250, or visit http://www.rmanj.com.

SOURCE Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey