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LaGaTa
LIF Infant
Member since 2/12 165 total posts
Name:
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
A while back I received an email from my insurance company advising me that my insurance coves 3 IUI and/or IVF treatments in any combination per lifetime.
Originally DH and I were going to do an IUI treatment next cycle, but now that I know i only have max of 3 treatments per lifetime i am thinking about going straight to IVF.
IUI is less invasive, and there is no medical reason as to why IUI shouldn't work, but IVF has a much better success rate and with only 3 tx per lifetime, I feel like i need all the odds on my side.
My dx: congenital adreanal hyperplasia (late onset)
DH is healthy
WWYD?
Message edited 9/12/2012 1:20:17 PM.
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Posted 9/11/12 11:47 PM  |
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DitD
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/12 650 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
I would see how much IUI's cost out of pocket. Maybe do one IUI per insurance and one or two more out of pocket. I would definitely save at at least one of the 3 for IVF.
I also don't know what your issues are, so this is going only on the info you have given.
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| Posted 9/12/12 12:32 AM |
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moonmist09
Thank you, St. Gerard!
Member since 2/11 5043 total posts
Name:
Antonella
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
Posted by DitD
I would see how much IUI's cost out of pocket. Maybe do one IUI per insurance and one or two more out of pocket. I would definitely save at at least one of the 3 for IVF.
I also don't know what your issues are, so this is going only on the info you have given.
this!
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| Posted 9/12/12 9:14 AM |
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6months
LIF Adolescent
Member since 11/08 598 total posts
Name:
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
It depends on your diagnosis. Our is male factor so it's unlikely that IUI would help us out so we went directly to IVF. We have $30k lifetime cap which is approx 3 cycles.
I wouldn't go directly to IVF just because you can because it is very invasive and requires hospital surgery under anesethia.
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| Posted 9/12/12 9:15 AM |
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LadyBug1209
Mommy to FOUR little men!
Member since 8/08 9655 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
I would give IUIs a shot before skipping straight to IVF, unless of course your IF issues stem from your DH.
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| Posted 9/12/12 9:17 AM |
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WannaBeAMom11
LIF Adult
Member since 1/11 7391 total posts
Name:
Name
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
I have to agree i think iui is the less invasive route. Do they know what your issues are? We had unexplained IF and got pg with the 3rd cycle of iui using injectibles.
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| Posted 9/12/12 12:35 PM |
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CindySN23
Stop, Think & Breathe...
Member since 8/11 3550 total posts
Name:
Cindy
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
It really depends...I had 6 IUI's and both unsuccessful...I would def consider IUI's but do them OOP since you may want to save your coverage for IVF
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| Posted 9/12/12 1:02 PM |
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NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!
Member since 5/11 10413 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
 I never heard of an insurance company covering 3 IUIs or IVFs considering the cost differential is so immense.
That being said, I'd try 3 IUIs OOP if you can financially swing it before turning to IVF. IVF is very invasive and not easy on anyone...and IUIs work! But like the PPs said, what's your IF diangnosis?
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| Posted 9/12/12 1:04 PM |
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gina409
TWINS!
Member since 12/09 27635 total posts
Name:
g
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
is it 3 frozen 3 fresh
i never heard of 3 and or bc the cost is so diff
it is so hard to say bc ivf is much more of aprocess and without trying one iui i would hate to make that jump
could u swing a iui oop?
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| Posted 9/12/12 9:55 PM |
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JulieLO
LIF Adolescent
Member since 12/11 669 total posts
Name:
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
If I remember correctly...we did 11 IUI's with a sperm wash were anywhere from $200-$400 depending on the dr. 1 IVF cycle inclusive can be anywhere from $8,000-15,000
so i dont understand why they told you 3 are covered---doesnt make sense.
I think you should call the insurance company and talk to a supervisor or someone that knows insurance coverage as well as the specific treatments and doesnt just read them off the plan... Find out what the exact coverage is and what your max cap is... insurance comapanies settle with the RE office so you dont exhaust the insurance money as quickly as you think...
We had $10,000 max lifetime and were able to get 2 fresh IVF cycles out of that with about $200 left over. That included everything but the meds (OOP $4000) and anestesia ($700). If meds/anestesia was covered we would probaby have gotten 1-1.5 cycles. ONE cycle from my BCBS insurance plan is a Fresh IVF retrieval and 3 transfers.
we also had 11 IUI's--- 6 of which were covered and the rest we paid OOP ... we had to exhaust the 6 IUI's before moving to IVF per the plan.
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| Posted 9/12/12 11:32 PM |
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PennyCat
Just call me mommy :)
Member since 7/08 19084 total posts
Name:
Jib
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
Posted by NYCGirl80
I never heard of an insurance company covering 3 IUIs or IVFs considering the cost differential is so immense.
We just switched to a different insurance and ours is like this (only it's 6 cycles..... IUI, IVF, or FET. You could do 6 IUIs or 6 fresh IVFs and the difference there is HUGE. I asked my dh who is a benefits attorney and he says it's because the insurance companies think you will use up the IUIs first and then they won't have to pay for IVF. It's all done strategically..... trust me ...
To the OP - I'd do some IUIs out of pocket if you could swing it. IVF is a bigger deal than people think, especially to start out with (depending on your issues of course)
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| Posted 9/13/12 12:06 AM |
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NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!
Member since 5/11 10413 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
Posted by PennyCat
I asked my dh who is a benefits attorney and he says it's because the insurance companies think you will use up the IUIs first and then they won't have to pay for IVF. It's all done strategically..... trust me ...
That makes sense. Seems immoral, or something, but logical. Thanks!
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| Posted 9/13/12 11:27 AM |
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mrsanonymous
LIF Adolescent
Member since 6/12 828 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
Do you have to get approval to go straight to IVF? For us, we had to prove (and doctor had to confirm) that IUI would not work for us before we went to IVF.
Good luck!
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| Posted 9/13/12 12:31 PM |
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Wishes1111
LIF Adolescent
Member since 12/10 853 total posts
Name:
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Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
I would speak to your dr about the likelihood of IUI working for you. IVF is more invasive but does have better odds and costs A LOT more out of pocket. As the other girls have said if your doctor thinks IUI is favorable in your case I would try to pay for it out of pocket and definitely not use the coverage you have on it. Also I would find out if your insurance requires a certain number of IUIs before going to IVF, some insurances can be very tricky like that. I know we had to submit paperwork from our RE to show that we fit the criteria to stop doing the last few IUIs required so we could move on to IVF. Good luck!
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| Posted 9/13/12 3:48 PM |
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LaGaTa
LIF Infant
Member since 2/12 165 total posts
Name:
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Re: Ready to start infertility treatments WWYD
Thanks for all your replies. Gives me stuff to think about. Never thought that IUI could be so reasonable.
I have to say I am grateful that I had my insurance paperwork with me at my last RE apt. Even my RE couldn't believe the coverage.
He said it is like having 3 slices of pizza and 3 waguy beef entrees together on a fixed price menu!
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| Posted 9/14/12 8:52 AM |
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