On top of everything else...insurance issues!

Lordy, lordy ladies, have I got a complicated earful for you. (I'm sure you're all on the edges of your seats out there, huh???)

So, the basic udpate is this: we did not, as I suspected, come to any conclusions over the weekend as to whether or not to continue down the IUI road, or put a halt to this looooong-ass cycle and just kick it into high gear by jumping into IVF. R and I discussed, but just went around in circles, never coming to a conclusion with any real conviction either way.

So, I went back for a monitoring appointment this morning, and wondered if I'd receive any information that would sway our decision either way?

The basic outcome was as I suspected: no change. Still loaded up with immature follicles, still no growth. They just called with the RE's reccommended protocol, which shockingly includes the direction to increase my dose! By a whole 25 IUs! I know you IVFers are cackling hysterically at this puny and wimpy dose, but every IU counts when you're a PCOSer doing IUI, I tell you!!! So, I go back on Saturday morning to see if the extra 25 IUs will make a difference.

BUT, here's the new problem: Wait - allow me to digress for a moment (what's that you say? you have no choice but to allow me to digress, as usual? yeah, yeah, tough cookies..) to say that I can't remember whose blog I read this on - maybe you, Watson? Or maybe Kellie?? but I remember reading someone's post that said that she can't EVER seem to leave the effing RE's office without being saddled with yet ANOTHER obstacle, problem, hurdle - be it physical, emotional, administrative in nature. I SOOOOO agree. Two steps forward, one step back....This is what drives me to drink at 8am on a Tuesday morning. Well, not really, because you know, the drinking and driving is bad, bad - BUT, I was having explicit THOUGHTS of Johnnie Walker Black while sitting in traffic on rt. 66 this morning.

OK, SO, back to the new(est) problem: as you know (i think) I left my job at Major Cell Phone Company three weeks ago. I started working at Major Financial Institution two weeks ago. My health insurance provider will be EXACTLY the same - my IF coverage will be EXACTLY the same. So, former insurance expired at the end of Feb. New insurance coverage begins on March 1, AFTER I enroll. So, I just enrolled today, and as soon as the insurance company receives my enrollment info, coverage will be retroactive to 3/1.

OK, are you still with me? Or have your eyes rolled back in your head and drool started coming from the corner of your mouth? I'm getting to the root of the problem now, trust me....

So, my insurance provider, both past and current, require you to call a certain phone number to get advanced authorization numbers for all IF treatments before they begin. I called them today to explain what was happening with the old job, new job, same insurance company situation. The woman I talked to told me in no uncertain terms that I'll really be causing them a lot of administrative headaches by having the nerve to change employment in the middle of this cycle, and in fact, had I told them when I started this cycle on 2/11 that I was going to be taking a new job before the cycle was over, they never would have agreed to cover it in the first place. I calmly and sweetly told her that I AM INFERTILE, and I HAVE PCOS, and therefore I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS CYCLE WOULD LAST SO EFFING LONG. For the love of God, people, I could have smacked her. THEN she told me that my insurance through my old job is now terminated, so as far as they are concerned they aren't paying for anything right now. IF and WHEN they receive my information on enrollment through my new employer, they certainly are not going to agree to pay for a cycle of treatment that began on a date in the past when I wasn't covered. She suggested that I prepare to pay for the rest of this cycle out of pocket.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

So, this being the case, unless I can convince my RE's office to let me continue this cycle, but report it to my "new" insurance as a new cycle that began on 3/1 or later - I have 3 choices:

1) Cancel this IUI cycle, take progesterone to induce a period, and Start. All. OVER. AGAIN,
2) Continue with this IUI cycle, and prepare to pay out of pocket for wandings, bloodwork, and God willing, the actual insemination,
or 3) Cancel this IUI cycle, and begin an IVF cycle.

I've left a message for the financial coordinator at my RE's office, but of course haven't heard back from her yet today. I will continue hounding her tomorrow, and depending on what she says the policy is about LYING to my insurance company, I'll guess we'll have to make a decision.

I tell you, if it's not one thing it's the other. Madness!!!

K