We are thoroughly enjoying our break from modern medicine. But the other day when I got a letter from my insurance company about my past prescriptions, I was sick to my stomach.
Essentially, starting in January, all fertility meds will require prior approval "for females under 50". (Should I just wait until I am 50 to try IVF again? Hahaha) Even clomid and progesterone! But the list includes all the big guns, too, like follistim, ganirelix, PIO, novarel, etc. AND, supposedly approval will be given unless the drugs are taken in conjunction with ART. Okay, who is going to be taking ganirelix in a normal cycle?!
I always considered myself very lucky to have had these meds covered for relative pennies compared to what they cost, so I probably have nothing to complain about, but I just think it is awful of the insurance companies. You (insurance) don't even pretend to cover IVF or IUI, and now you can't even throw us a bone and cover the meds?!?! Is this what happens when the government runs healthcare- every living thing has coverage, but that's because the poor helpless infertility patients are getting even more of the short end of the stick than ever?!?! Way to go, keep on covering people with 8 kids and no job, but make sure you give a big "screw you" to people who work 3 jobs to try to finance a shot at having ONE child.
I feel very thankful that we had coverage when we did, and that we went through all of the medical interventions when we did. I feel validated that what we are doing now (au naturale) is what we're supposed to be doing, given this change of situation. But it is totally kicking infertility patients while they are down. We are not even considering any other meds for the forseeable future, but this hurts almost as much as if we were in the thick of things. Don't infertile people have enough heartache?!
12 comments:
Does "prior approval" mean that they definitely won't cover them? If so, that is a load of crap. But par for the course, since healthcare costs are going up and they always pick on the infertility benefits first since, hey, no one really needs those right?
Sorry :(.
I hate insurance companies!!! Uggghh, they just make my teeth itch! Glad you had coverage though....
That stinks! Sorry. Only clomid was covered for us so we had to foot the bill for the follistim and hcg (and ultrasounds and bloodwork). Maybe there is a way to work around it? Regardless, that blows.
I've never understood the way insurance varies from state-to-state and how unfair it is that some people get coverage and other people don't. UGH!
I hate, hate the way insurance companies operate. it's so wrong.
So sorry. But it sounds like there might be hope for coverage. I worked the insurance end of things for a doctor for years, I wonder if someone on the "inside" could push through that prior approval for you? It'd be worth a shot. But I agree, it's crazy that infertility isn't classified as a disease and instead is treated like we just want a boob job or something purely cosmetic. Hope that the natural works for you and then you can give a big middle finger to the insurance company. :)
Ugh...insurance companies make life even more difficult don't they?
Ugh, I'm so sorry :( That is like a kick while your down. We don't have any insurance for ART treatments, but office visits are covered....and they are going up a lot in 2011. I'm glad we did most of our IF treatments in 2010.
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Insurance companies sucks!! My insurance doesn't cover anything related to infertility!!
Yea really, I got that letter too and it sucks. I hate insurance companies.
I work in a pharmacy and deal with that crap daily- gotta love insurance!
Move to Canada! Although we also have to pay for our meds and fertility treatments unless we have insurance, our province just approved an $8000 tax credit for fertility treatments, meaning you would get all that money back! It is a huge step forward!
Anyways, I am sorry you have to deal with all that junk. It is time insurance companies start taking infertility seriously and throw you a bone! I don't know al ot about insurance companies in the US, but whatever I have heard has not been good! We should all give those company's CEOs a kick in the pants.
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