Learning about my choices for birth control.

[ejpoeta]

I had set up an appointment to discuss my options regarding birth control before my fiasco last weekend which I addressed http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=217x8478">here. Well, yesterday I went in and discussed getting my tubes tied. The doctor suggested Mirena as a better option considering that having your tubes tied is a serious surgery requiring hospitalization.
[br />I brought the info home regarding the Mirena and another similar form of birth control that uses copper and has no hormones. The mirena works for up to 5 years and the other one Pergard, lasts up to 10 years. So Bob and I discussed it and I decided to call today to set up an appointment to have the Mirena put in. Well, then I find out that I have to go in and fill out paperwork before they will order the device (they don't have them on hand) AND provide a credit card and they will then process it through and decide what the copay will be. Now, I have never had to provide a credit card for anything in the past, so now I need to provide something for this. I am not renting a hotel room. I don't understand this. WHy can't they find out if the insurance would cover it and what the copay would be without needing my credit card info, that they won't charge my card means nothing to me.

Ok.... anyone who can help me out here? I am just a little pissed off right now at my doctor's office.

[Better Today]

1. I have no personal experience to compare, however

I've read here and other places, that sometimes these days, insurance pre-approves certain things in that they will say so much will be paid for, then when the bill comes thru they disallow the charge.

Additionally I've read that certain procedures are never pre-authorized by insurance and instead is only considered after the procedure and after all charges have been made.

Did you bother to ask the office why? Generally they will tell you some fashion of the truth.

[ejpoeta]

2. i did ask the lady why and she said she had no idea why they just do.

[uppityperson]

3. Have you Planned Parenthood or county health clinic locally that does this?

They can call your insurance company, as can you, for information as to whether or not this is covered, what the co-pay or percentage to you should be. However, the numbers given by the insurance company are "should", not "shall". The correct amount will be calculated when the bill is sent in. Call them, get the person's name and number (if they have one) and write down all the info they give you.

A providers office should be able to tell you exact cost if you have no insurance, and what it should cost with your insurance. Call and ask what it would cost without insurance. Then with your # with ins, you can figure it out yourself.

I'm not sure why they are doing that. My health care provider has some new people and they ask for odd things. Could be that or could just be their idiotic policy. I'd be reluctant to give any credit card info without knowing the amount that was going to be put on it.

Planned Parenthood, Family Planning, and some county health dept clinics handle this also. You could try contacting them also.

[ejpoeta]

4. thanks. am on hold with the insurance company right now.

we do have planned parenthood nearby and my husband suggested we could do that, though i was concerned regarding the insurance. i could see if they didn't want to order the thing before knowing if it would be paid for, but would they do that for something else? i have a credit card, but i don't think it should be required to obtain birth control device.

[uppityperson]

5. Let me know what happens please. Remember ins co's are there for only 1 reason

to make money. If they can disallow something, they will. Write down date, time, name, what was said, etc and keep it 'til they pay. If you have a problem later, drop me a line. I used to manage a FP clinic and deal with ins co's all the time at work.

[ejpoeta]

6. now the insurance company assured me they do cover it and there is only a

$5 copay. i have blue cross but it is family health plus. and i am going to bet they would LOVE for me to get on a birth control. i know htis because i remember once while applying for medicaid they assured me that they would give me free birth control pills even if i didn't qualify for the medicaid. but now i have a reference number from the insurance company and i have called back to the office and got put on hold and cut off. so we called back and the lady should be calling me back. we'll see what happens.

[ejpoeta]

9. the doctor's office finally explained it to me after we called them about

the insurance. they told me that when they order the iud from the company they have to send in this paperwork and a credit card or else the company won't send it. the company bills the insurance company for the device and then i guess charges the card for the copay if there is one. so i liken it to getting a prescription from the doctor and you go get it filled. but it is sent to the doctor's office and they put it in. i still don't quite understand.... and i can't help but wonder what other things have the same requirements. but at least they explained it to me.

[HockeyMom]

7. My husband got a vasectomy

2 months after our second child was born in 1984. We decided before we married on only 2 kids and HE would be the one getting permanent birth control. Cheaper and a lot easier. Besides, why should a woman be the one to have to have surgery, especially in this day and age, and when they are MARRIED? It took less than a week for my husband to fully recover from HIS "surgery" which was done in a doctors office in about an hour.

[ejpoeta]

8. he doesn't want either one of us to go under the knife. i am not going to

push him about it. i have heard a vasectomy is less invasive, but it's still a big deal. when the doctor explained what a tubal ligation entails, it scared me frankly. i can't blame him if the thought of it scares him too.