I probably am. What an incredible gift to live in a state with mandated coverage right? Until you are caught in a loop hole and it sucks doubly hard. Self funded insurance from small companies are the only type of insurance not required to have IVF coverage. Scott's company, in a way to find the cheapest available option for health coverage chose this route. I work part time in a company with less then 10 employees, so I am not offered any type of coverage.
So what does that mean. I am out of pocket (OOP) for IVF. In a town where OOP is unheard of. No clinics (okay one out of the 6) offer payment plans or shared risk. No Doctors offer left over meds. Mine infact was floored when I told her I was using my left overs from last cycle "Oh you don't need those. Throw them out and get fresh ones" When I told her it would cost me close to 2500 to replace all the meds she said "Oh Okay, they are fine to use"
So here I am thinking about digging through peoples trash in hopes of finding some Gonal F or Repronex. Maybe passing notes in the waiting area telling them they can donate their left overs to me.
Okay so I do have some coverage. I pay 300 a month for a policy I bought for myself. The policy sucks. I have to pay for blood draws. Half of the IVF and all of the drugs. Mathmatically, I am not really saving money. What it does allow me to do is delay payment until after the procedure. Without it my clinic would demand payment up front.
So that is my story. That is why when most women close to me or sitting in the waiting room for IVF consults are not worried about the financial end I am freaking out. 5 IVFs covered fully by Massachusettes insurance and all I can do is afford three because I fall in a crack.
I could get a job with better insurance, maybe at Starbucks, but the pay would be ten times less. Scott could get a job with better insurance, but who is hiring in his feild? No one. So the economy is not on our side. Nothing seems to be.
I know I am probably preaching to the chior about all this. There are many more people without IF insurance coverage then with, just no one around me. Which makes it seem lonelier some how.
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5 comments:
I am OOP, too:) I have a running list on my blog of how much we have spent so far...though it needs so updating...I'm sorry. It really does suck.
Hi maybe you could try Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO Blue Direct Plan. I live in Mass and purchase this plan when we cycle. Feb 08 to July 08 it ran about $340 per month awesome coverage, including ICSI and assisted hatching! I really only had to pay the premium and copays for my meds. I have high FSH so I need a ton of meds and per IVF the med copay was around $300. I have often felt like I was the only one worrying about insurance coverage and the financial burdon of all of this. i get it! There is a mandate for the love of Pete! We adopted our daughter 2 years ago from Guatemala and are determined to give her a sibling so in a few months we will purchase this plan again and move forward using donor eggs! I wish you the best of luck along your journey and my 2009 be good to you :)
Laurie
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Krissy....
I absolutely feel your pain..I too love in mass and am now going for a second opinion...my first 3 IUI's that did not work were nto covered...my husbands companys insurance is a PPO which like yours does not have to cover fertility and I too like him work for a restuarant company that does not offer any type of coverage either. It sucks like you said - but DOUBLE!!!!!!!!!!! Where is mass are you? We are on the border of Nashua NH.
Ok so I already left you a comment but I wanted you to know that I emailed that nice girl Laurie that left you that comment. I have since called BCBS and now have all the information that she talked about - she is right...you can take a policy out on just yourself (in addition to the one you already have) and it covers ALL fertility treatments...etc...Th egood policy after reviewing with my dad who does that for a living is the one that has a $500 deductible....so after you pay $500..everything is free & clear!
Yay!!!
Thanks ladies for your comments. I do have individual coverage, but the plan I have does not cover Gonal F or Repronex. All other drugs are covered.
I also have a plan that covers 50% of the procedure. That was the best HMO we could afford a month.
So it could be worse, we do have some coverage but it is not free like so many people have around us
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