IVF question

[Martin]

I just accepted a position that will move my family from Massachusetts to Wichita, KS, most likely beginning of October.

We are going to try for another child and chances are we will require some 'help', i.e. IVF, but we wanted to try the natural way first and only use IVF as back-up, if needed. Now - with the sudden job offer - our hand may have been played.
During the last visit with my oncologist, she mentioned that - to the best of her knowledge - insurance companies only pay for IVF in MA, parts of NJ and parts of PA.
Does anybody know if this is indeed correct, especially considering the problem being cancer related?

I will be making an appointment with the Fertility Specialist today. I guess as a worst case scenario, my wife and daughter could stay here until treatment is completed? What would an IVF treatment cost, if not paid for by insurance?

We are currently on a Harvard Pilgrim HMO plan and the new job will offer a Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO (effective a beginning of employment, I was happy to hear).

I would also be curious to hear if other people had been in a similar situation and how it turned out.

Thanks,

Martin

[Lori]

Hi Martin,

My husband and I are just beginning this cancer journey, but have done some research on IVF. We live in VT and have MVP insurance. I don't know about coverage across states but I do know MVP will only cover AI, not IVF. Even though this need is due to cancer. They won't even cover the necessary drugs. Although I must say, they are being great about covering all the costs for Jon's cancer - so I can't really complain.

Our hospital here has quoted prices of around $10K including the necessary tests and the actual process with ICSI. The 10K doesn't include drugs which could run about $2 to $3k.

Our clinic provided the following website www.savt.org to find a clinic. I haven't actually looked at it yet, but hopefully it is helpful.

Good Luck on conceiving as well as the move!

Lori

[mk6439]

Coverage depends on your employer's specific plan, not the insurance company, so ask the HR people at your new job whether the plan covers infertility and if so, what it covers. Even if they say that the plan doesn't cover infertility at all, it may cover the costs of diagnostic testing and the IVF meds (which are a few thousand dollars). Talk to your infertility doctor about IUI if you have a lot of sperm banked, it is much cheaper than IVF.

[huckchef]

This is all correct!! It will depend on the insurer and the policy provided by your employer not the state of which you live. I have BCBS and it DID NOT cover the IVF procedure. It did cover any testing and procedure that we had with the fertility doctor. Those would be exams and procedures up to the start of the IVF process. They can use terms of having female issues to state for coverage. All in all, it cost us around $13,000-$14,000. Thats the IVF procedure, storage of sperm/eggs, etc....
The IVF was about $9,000-$10,000, the meds were about $2,000 and storage, shipping, other misc. stuff accounted for the rest.
Our fertility doctor offered special plans for doing IVF. You could pay more which would give you insurance sort of speak if it didn't happen and you could recieve a refund and more chances. I believe it was around $20,000. I didn't have that much sperm banked so I didn't have many chances to try anyway. Luckily it happened the first time for us. (We are going in Wedensday the 2nd of August to have our little girl!) A true blessing!!
I hope this helps and I'll be more than glad to share our experience with anyone!
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you,
Brian

[Karen]

We are going in Wedensday the 2nd of August to have our little girl! A true blessing!!

I am SOOOO excited for you!!!!! Can't wait to see a photo!!

[Scott]

I'm glad Karen pulled out the news about the impending delivery. I almost missed it!

Congratulations!!

[huckchef]

thanks all!! i'll post elsewhere with the details!!!

[dadmo]

The big day has been added to the calendar.

[Mom]

I thought the baby was going to be born on August 8. Now I'm doubly excited because August 2 is my birthday! You must post a picture. Dianne

[Karen]

Martin,
I seem to have hijacked your thread....sorry, but we get real excited about post-TC babies here! Did you get answers from Bian and Lori that can get you stared ibto looking into your insurance coverage?

[Martin]

Thanks everyone for posting (baby news included, which are always worth a note )

We are going to make a consultation appointment with our local fertility specialist and see what course of action he recommends to begin with. Once we know, I will check with my new employer about their benefits as well as what exactly is covered with our current plan (my wife & I currently have the same employer).

There are a couple of scenarios we can play out from there, including her staying here in MA to complete the treatment, to keep the current benefits (should they be better than the new ones).

My new employer sent me a summary of their health benefits and 'family planning and fertility service' are mentioned on their. The extend of that is not clarified, so my guess would be they would cover what Brian already mentioned.

Thanks again, everyone, for you help ... and congrats on the baby news also from me!

Martin