Infertility Treatments - Spending Wisely At Home and Abroad By Lauri Berger de Brito ~ PART TWO

This is an continuation of Part one, Infertility Treatments - Spending Wisely At Home and Abroad. If you have any advice that you would like to share with our readers on this topic OR you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment or contact us at Global IVF at Info@GlobalIVF.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Part Two~

4. Don't overlook using your health insurance to help offset some costs. First off, get a copy of your policy from your carrier or employer. Unless a procedure is specifically excluded, you might be able to get some reimbursement for your expenses in your home country. If you are leaving the country for treatment, see if they might cover those expenses. It doesn't hurt to ask, you may be surprised at what they will cover. Also, you may be able to get some medications fully or partially paid for - even if there is fertility exclusion since some drugs are used for multiple purposes. Your policy could include blood work and ultrasounds. Make sure your RE's office uses the correct codes for billing so you don't have to spend hours on the phone trying to get coverage. Also, even though a procedure or related expense has been rejected, if you have the time and dedication, you can often call your insurance company and fight for them to cover some of the expenses. Your determination often determines what the insurance company pays for in the end. Take a look at the RESOLVE website (www.resolve.org) for assistance and ideas on approaching your company regarding fertility coverage.

5.Shop around for your medications. The price of medications can vary between pharmacies and countries. When shopping abroad remember that the name of the medication on the package may be different than the one you are familiar with, but the content is the same. Your RE or the pharmacy will be able to tell you if the drug goes by a different name in other countries. There are also pharmacies that specialize in fertility medications and even though they are smaller independent companies, they may be cheaper than the large chains. You can always ask your clinic's nurse if she has any recommendations. Also, sometimes your clinic may have meds that other people have not used and donated back to the clinic. So, (and I can't say this enough) if money is an issue for you (and who doesn't have money issues when it comes to IVF) then don't be afraid to open up your mouth and ask about ways you can save money.

6. Get expert advice. Once again, don't be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes spending a little more money in the beginning can save you money in the end. There are international fertility consultants whose job it is to help clients make good fertility choices - from sifting through the countries and their laws to finding clinics with good statistics and happy patients. These fertility consulting companies can also help in reviewing your insurance options and helping you ask the right questions.

7. Take your time. Infertility and treatment is a highly emotional time for most people. It's common to want to take control and try to fix things fast. But this is a big decision - and probably one of the more important decisions in your lifetime...so take time to research, and talk with your partner (if you have one) about your options and preferences. Don't race in because you are desperate to have a baby. If you take an extra month or two to make a decision - even though it feels like an eternity - it could very well save you more than time in the long run and bring a baby home to you faster, perhaps less expensively and certainly with less frustratio