https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:31:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600920 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 03:30:01 +0000 Mrs.Pinecone316 1600920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>IUI's are relatively cheap (compared to IVF) so 50% coverage would not be worth it to take a job I think I might not like. Now if IVF was partially covered, thats a different story!</p> <p>I also have HMO that covers 50%. My biggest headach is that you can only go to the doctor they assign, so if its an RE you don't care for your out of luck. Also, you need a referral from your PCP and I need re-referrals every few months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600471 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 18:55:38 +0000 brownie 1600471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMcD: oh the job I want to do is 3 pm to 7 pm. He has preschool during the day. So that was why I won't see him. But I can do both now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600386 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:49:54 +0000 deactivated_account 1600386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Yea. A lot of people love it. And I think its just maybe getting used to the system. SoCal has some great looking Kaiser hospitals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600382 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:43:42 +0000 gingerbebe 1600382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMcD: I think Kaiser really depends on where you're located. I had it in the East Coast and did not like it at all. I live in Northern California now and have had very good service. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600367 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:29:02 +0000 deactivated_account 1600367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: FWIW, I grew up with an HMO and went to Kaiser for one year and didn't like it at all. A lot of people love Kaiser, but a lot of people hate it also. </p> <p>Also... why is it that you will never see your kid? I'm so sorry, but I don't know any of your back story. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1600360 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:25:10 +0000 brownie 1600360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: kaiser is one of the options but I don't know who they have in the area we are moving to.<br /> @MrsMcD: HMO hasn't been an option before because we were in a very secluded area so to get docs you had to have PPo. In our new town the top group is part of the HMO so good doctors is an option.<br /> @spaniellove: that is how we have been doing it. And yeah 50% is probably 500 and injectables if we end up there. </p> <p>It's a 40 hour a week job at an entry level. I just got confirmation that they are open to a 30 hour a week position so I can do it and the job I want to do. I will never see my kid but I wasn't going to see much of him with the job I wanted anyway. So I think I am going to accept the job. It will at least pay for the treatments.</p> <p>Also it has another perk of 2/3 off tuition if I want to pursue my phd. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599983 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 14:45:59 +0000 bhbee 1599983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we have had an HMO (in MA so state mandated IF coverage). it worked out really well and made things super affordable, but we had the advantage that we didn't even need referrals as long as all the doctors were part of the same hospital network (which in Boston is pretty easy). the few times I had to get referrals for non-IF things it was no big deal, just call and they do it for you, no problem (call PCP's office and say "I have an appt with X can you send the referral). our HMO made my hospital birth and our IF treatments pretty cheap.</p> <p>that said, I wouldn't make a job decision based on coverage. you don't even know how much it will save you and it's not worth ruining your day-to-day life. and if it's only IUI coverage, I would definitely consider the job over the insurance.</p> <p>my DH just got a new job which means we will only have coverage for initial consults. it sucks after having almost full coverage, but I think it's worth it for the longer-term career implications for him. that may be different than what you are facing though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599926 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 14:29:47 +0000 deactivated_account 1599926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: Hi! I'm not sure I understand your question(s). But I will let you know that I have an HMO that I'm desperately trying to hold on to. I love it so far since everything in my life has been covered entirely except for a small co-pay. My only concern with HMO is the availability of good, quality doctors. As long as I feel I have that, then I don't have a strong desire to switch to a more expensive PPO. </p> <p>I can have the exact same C-section birth my sister had at an amazing hospital for something like a $200 co-pay while my sister paid thousands upon thousands under her PPO insurance. </p> <p>I haven't yet dealt with infertility issues (i'm headed that way), but I think its the same as what @spaniellove: described. So far, I personally have seen my general family doctor about my fertility concerns. I am seeing my obgyn, who specializes in early infertility type issues, in a couple weeks. She can do all sorts of diagnosis and clomid and I think IUI. My insurance will cover all of that I highly doubt, however, that my insurance will over IVF but I don't really know. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599740 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:42:01 +0000 spaniellove 1599740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it definitely depends on the individual plan. We have an HMO through BCBS that technically doesn't cover infertility but for insurance, infertility treatment is usually defined as IVF (and variations of it) and injectible medications. Since our plan covers testing at 100% and many non-injectible meds with a copay, I just had to pick a fertility clinic I wanted to go to and call my PCP to put in a referral. Every plan will handle the copays differently but for us I only paid a copay for consults. </p> <p>Other than the IUI coverage, how are the plans? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599713 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:33:59 +0000 Shutterbug 1599713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have IF coverage via a state mandate, so this might not be totally comparable, but I do have an HMO. I haven't had any trouble getting treatment - I just needed to call my primary care Dr to get a referral faxed over for my RE. With each covered service or Dr's visit I paid my $20 co-pay (only IUIs, IVFs, HSG, and Dr's visits - monitoring appointments I didn't pay anything).</p> <p>To answer your other question... if all they cover is IUI, at 50%, what's that - at most maybe $500/try savings? Is the job worth that $$ to you? Or is it more that you wouldn't be able to pursue treatment without the savings?</p> <p>(PS - I love seeing you in here and talking about treatments again! I've missed you!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599619 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:07:57 +0000 gingerbebe 1599619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 50% up until IVF (so IUIs, Clomid, etc) through our HMO (Kaiser). I don't know how it differs from your plan but it was really helpful. We got our BFP right before starting treatment but because I was in the HMO they covered a lot of our diagnostic and blood tests under my OBGYN coverage (so it cost us nothing) instead of making us pay 50%. We got a price sheet from Day 1 and knew how much everything would cost us and it allowed us to sign up for our FSAs during open enrollment to put a chunk of money aside before taxes to help pay for our projected expenses. Plus our billing and health info was all integrated so it was all really easy. But it was through Kaiser's own reproductive health center so again I don't know how it would differ from you. Anyways, we were a fan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hmo-and-infertility-treatment#post-1599575 Tue, 29 Apr 2014 12:55:02 +0000 brownie 1599575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got a job offer. Two of the health plans will cover 50% of artificial insemination. But I have never had an HMO before. They would accept the primary car group that we have wanted to change to so that isn't an issue. How do you go about getting infertility care? Have you had problems getting the care? Can you choose who you go to and get your PCP to ask for it?</p> <p>Ugh, is it worth doing something I may not enjoy to get 50% coverage? Versus working less time (25 hours instead of 40) for the same wage ($20 an hour). Either way I won't get to see my kid much. </p> <p>Thoughts? </p>