questions about hydrosalpinx

[TheTodd34]

hello all, first time poster but long time reader!

the wife and i have been ttc for > 1 year now. we are both young and healthy. after a few hundred $$ worth of OPK's, we're confident that she ovulates monthly. i got my boys tested and they are healthy and aplenty.

however our ob ordered an HSG as part of our workup, which revealed a unilateral hydrosalpinx on the right. everything looked normal on the left. we are seeing an infertility specialist for the first time next week.

1) is anyone aware of supplemental insurance plans that you can buy that will cover infertility meds and procedures? our BCBS at work only covers lab tests and consultations, but has nothing for meds or procedures. the only thing i've found so far is Optum Health Allies , where you can pay $25-$29/mo and get 5-20% off meds/services from contracted providers.

2) has anyone had a salpingectomy and gotten it covered by insurance? our insurance doesn't cover infertility procedures, but i was wondering if the gyne would consider billing the procedure as related to pelvic pain in general, not specifically for infertility. i'm guessing that paying out-of-pocket laparascopic procedure like that is going to run in the several thousands of dollars.

i know these questions are a little premature, but we're just trying to plan ahead.

thanks in advance!

 

[vineyard]

I was unable to find any supplemental insurance that covered infertility treatment. My primary insurance didn't cover anything that's infertility related. It's a bummer but until we pass laws that require mandatory coverage, we're screwed.

 

[vineyard]

Some states require fertility coverage and Illinois is one of them. Below is the law:

This law requires insurance policies that cover more than 25 people to cover costs of the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. The law defines infertility as the inability to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex or the inability to carry a pregnancy.

Coverage includes, but is not limited to:
* In vitro fertilization (IVF); Uterine embryo lavage; Embryo transfer;
* Artificial insemination;
* Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT);
* Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT);
* Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI);
* Four completed egg retrievals per lifetime; and
* Low tubal egg transfer.

Coverage for IVF, GIFT and ZIFT is required only if:
* The patient has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy;
* The patient has not reached the maximum number of allowed egg retrievals;
* The procedures are performed at facilities that conform to standards set by the America Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

So, it appears they will cover IVF if you work for a company that employs and insures more than 25 people. That's awesome! Count yourself lucky. However, with a hydrosalpinx they will probably just go in and repair or remove it and that would probably be covered by insurance. Then, from there you get to keep TTC.

Hope this has helped.