|
|
It is important to get a breakdown of the expenses for all procedures - preferably in writing. For example, for surgery, find out what is included in the quoted figure - does this include just the surgeon's fees? the assistant's? anesthesia? theatre charges? hospitalisation? followup visits? Often what is excluded can add up to a pretty penny! This is especially true for IVF treatment, where "hidden expenses" can lead to your spending much more than you had bargained for.
Patients are often reluctant to talk about money and expenses with doctors - but remember, it's your hard-earned money you are spending. You can't afford to shy away from this topic. Doctors are also sometimes vague about money matters - and this makes getting specific figures so much more important.
You need to calculate what your total expenses will be, not just the medical costs. Remember to include travelling costs; lodging and boarding if you are from out-of-town; and the cost of time taken off work.
Unfortunately, most insurance companies in India will not reimburse you for the medical expenses for treating infertility - they still take the old-fashioned view that infertility is not a medical problem! A number of couples are also reluctant to claim for medical expenses for treatment, since they do not wish to disclose to anyone else that they are infertile. Also, Government medical facilities rarely provide quality care for infertility, since this is not a primary concern for them. Until these attitudes change, a number of patients will be deprived of infertility care, because of financial constraints - and this is a shame!
Infertile couples in USA have used the courts to get their medical bills paid. In 1998, the city of Chicago agreed to cover infertility treatments for its employees after a female police officer sued the city for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The officer said her infertility was a disability because it impaired a "major life activity." In 13 states in the USA, insurers are required by law to offer some form of infertility coverage. Hopefully, infertile couples and their advocates will be able to successfully lobby for similar changes in India as well.
However, patients have devised ingenious methods to overcome these financial hurdles. For example, young women who can grow lots of eggs and who need IVF but cannot afford to pay for this, have agreed to " share " their eggs. Older women, who need donor eggs and are well-off, can then pay for the entire IVF cycle, and the two can share the eggs, giving both of them a chance to get pregnant. Egg sharing allows the doctor to match financial and reproductive resources, and is beneficial for both donor and recipient.
You can also get coverage for some of your medical treatments (such as laparoscopy) by requesting your doctor to say that the surgery was done for treating pelvic pain (which means your expense will be reimbursed by the insurance company ) rather than for treating infertility.
© Dr. Aniruddha Malpani and Dr. Anjali Malpani www.drmalpani.com
Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility
