[~~*Ashley*~~]

Tell me about your insurance coverage......

This is a very important part of TTC if you think about it....lol


As of right now, neither Calvin or I have health insurance. I was offered insurance at my job, but I chose to waive it. It was VERY expensive. $200 a month...and the deductible was crazy. I still have to pay $40 for dr visits, I think $100 for specialists and $1500 for hospitals or procedures. THEN the insurance kicks in and pays 80%.

Calvin has insurance at his job that he is considering getting for us both. It is slightly cheaper and covers slightly better...We're not sure at the moment.
It seems to be cheaper to pay out of pocket, the doctors quote you ALOT less. I also have a Care Credit card, which is like a credit card for health care. You get the procedure, then pay monthly like a credit card. I am considering using that for my upcoming HSG and Lapo..but still considering calvin's insurance. I don't even know if the insurance would cover it...Not quite sure what to do about it though. His SA was cheap, but my procedures with be MUCH more...then what about in the future if I have to get clomid, or we need an IUI or..IVF..ugh, I dont even want to think how we'll pay for those....

[Augie]

I, unfortunately don't have any. I've tried to buy private insurance and can't get covered because of my back.

[~April04~]

We have Tricare Prime (military insurance). It covers everything except IUI and IVF. BUT if we had to go that route there are military hospitals (I think 3 or 4 of them) that do IUI and IVF for a very reduced cost (around $3500-$4000).

[avtvav1]

I really feel bad for you guys as here in Australia you can get ivf through medicare.. our free health service. If you pay it is much quicker, however, I had friends who only waited 6 month and then they were pregnant with their son.

I find your health system very interesting. When I had my daughter it did not cost me a cent and I had wonderful care.

If any of you want to move here for a short time (just to take advantage of our health care) we have a spare room. lol

[SavaAngel]

We think we have crappy health care but all in all it is pretty decent. Co-pays for office visits (no matter what) are $20. ER visits are $100 copay and we have a decent "family" deductible but I don't know what it is right off hand. The handy thing when I was pregnant was I didn't pay a co-pay at every visit - somehow because I was having so many appts they waive the co-pay or something. I did have to pay $500+ to my OB even though he didn't deliver my son (my OB wasn't on call and I got the doctor I like to call "The Witch") - they said it was what the insurance wouldn't cover, so I guess my co-pays were in there. We also get vision and dental through our insurance.

As for clomid - I don't need to have my insurance to get it. Target will give it to you for $9! That is the cheapest I have found it.

You might want to check into that medical credit card and see what it does to your credit rating. If you can afford to get insurance I would - then you will have it and have no issues once a baby does come - KWIM?

[snsgirl336]

We have pretty decent insurance. Our co-pay is a little higher than I'd like ($25), but if it's a well-patient visit (annual physical, annual Gyno exam and tests, etc, we don't have to pay the co-pay). We have a decent deductable and we don't need any prior authorization or referral to see specialists. As far as fertility/infertility (I'm never sure which term to use) they just changed their policy's and it seems like most everything will be covered up to and including IUI. After that, we're on our own. I have to call and double check on that though.

[~Lynda~]

how can you have a baby and it not cost you a cent? who pays for it? i don't understand how that is funded? someone has to pay for it...

my insurance is good. blue cross blue shield - but it doesn't cover any kind of fertility issues. just fertility drugs, that's about it. good luck deciding on ins, it can make your head spin!!!

[DoulaMama]

Australia has socialized health care. Most of the industrial world has it.

We have insurance, but it's much better then most. Our co-pay for a regular DR is 15$, it's 25$ for a specialist. Prescriptions are pretty cheap- my progesterone was 35$ for 15 days tho, but it was one of the only ones like that. Most are under 10$. My ER visit co-pay is 100$, and I pay 10-20% of the cost of a surgery, depending on if the care provider is in network or not. Anything from an Out of network DR is paid 80% after a 200$ deductible, so that is still really affordable. My maternirt care is covered at 90%. and they'll even cover homebirth at the same rate. Dental and eye stuff is also covered. We have 10k of infertility coverage, not including diagnostic procedures, u/s, bloodwork and DRs visits- which don't count as part of that.

We pay I think 130$ a month, and Rob's work pays 130$ as well. Honestly- even if we had to pay the whole 260$, we'd do it. It's saved us so much.

we have BCBS-ppo plan. It is much better then most insurances- by far....

Make sure you call up both of those insurenses, find out when you can use their maternity coverage, what infertility procedures they cover, co=pays, if they have an RE in network... etc.

[~~*Ashley*~~]

thanks for the input. I would love a universal health care system here. I'm just not sure it will ever happen here in the U.S. I'm sure all for it though!

[dng]

My insurance I have now is pretty good. I actually work in Denton, Tx. I am covered by my company and DH is really cheap. Previous to this I worked in OKC at a non-profit hospital. I had incredible insurance uncluding 40,000 in lifetime infertility and 10,000 lifetime infertility medications. I was able to use it for two months before I moved. (Sad that it was two months worth of tests and no radiology exams or treatments other than an HSG.)

[Hoosier Kitty]

I really feel bad for you guys as here in Australia you can get ivf through medicare.. our free health service. If you pay it is much quicker, however, I had friends who only waited 6 month and then they were pregnant with their son.

I find your health system very interesting. When I had my daughter it did not cost me a cent and I had wonderful care.

If any of you want to move here for a short time (just to take advantage of our health care) we have a spare room. lol[/b]

It must be nice to live in AUS. I"m on Medicare in the USA. Medicare DO NOT pay anything related to fertility.

[drewbears]

thankfully we have good insurance.

One thought... if you get pg what happens??? there are many insurance companies who will not take on a woman who is pg cuz they consider it a pre existing condition.