Living in IL- mandated coverage but ins won't pay- need advice (dd ment)

[Karyn]

Hi,

I would like to see if anyone has had an experience like this. I live in IL which madates coverage for DE IVF. My dh just got a job at a company that is headquarted in CA- and they do not have such laws. So we are being told no IVF coverage is available through our insurance. I would like to know where to go from here. I have one dd via DE IVF (at the time everything was covered). Has anyone had a similar situation, living in a mandated coverage state, but insurance headquarted in another state and denied coverage? What did you do about it?

Other than insurance- has anyone found a way to get financial assistance (loans, grants, etc.) to help pay for treatment?

Thank you,
Karyn

[Sym]

This is actually in response to your other post re" self-employed ins., but I can't remember which board that was on, so I searched your name, and this said last pot, so here is where I replied-lol


Hi. I was just surfing Ft since our board is sooo slow, and I came across your post re: self employed coverage.
I live in canada, but here is what we did.
We had a business that did not cover IF at all. We added a ryder for it. I think it cost about 600/yr. The only problem w/ this was after a year, the Ins. co looked over the expenses and cancelled the ryder. So...be prepared to do many cycles back to back before you get cancelled.
Also.....outright asking your insurance co. about IF coverages makes them very uptight. They know the costs, and try to talk u out of it. Its almost like asking your auto insurance agent how much your rates would go up if you hit their car. They would be on the "lookout" for you.

Don't have a business yet or want to jeopardize your existing benefits?
No problem. A little more lengthy, and costly, but you can start a business. Its easiest if your name is Joe Blow, to start Joe Blows________company. then your likely not to have to pay to search the name. Be specific. Like "Mary-Jane.L.P.Hopkins' Deliveries"
You don't have to even make alot of money in the business. You will have to file a tax return as well, but as long as you don't claim a loss for more than a few years in a row( if the benefits exceed the income), then let the company die off and close it. The benefit of all this rigamore is...as the owner of this company, you dictate what Ins. coverage you want and don't want.
If you don't already have a business and are not comfortable with remitting to the government, I HIGHLY suggest getting an attorney to help you set up the most basic co. Tell him/her EXACTLY what u are planning, but u don't have to emphasis that you don't actually PLAN to make a big profit if you don't. Paying the lawyer and getting the co. liscence will be an output of money right away, but if u do say...6 cycles in a year, your savings is HUGE!

This works best if u actually have/use the co u set up.
Even "SAHMs dog walking services" can bring in SOME sort of income which makes this legal. Worst case scenario, you look like a bad business person if in a year or 2, you close the doors.
Bear in mind, things differ slightly from CAnada to the US, but if u get an attorney to set up a company for u, he/she can steer u in the right direction.

Best of luck.

[Skidaddle]

Insurance is dictated by the state in which the insurance is issued. Why get get a job with an company in Illinois that covers it, get your cycles, then retire?

[BC-Alexandra]

i agree with skidaddle. alex.

[Reddy198]

We're going through the same thing with insurance coverage for infertility. We're on the verge of our first IVF. The doc's billing department told us we can apply for a Capital One credit card with a low interest rate if we have good credit.

My DH are also thinking for getting a loan through a credit union or getting a home equity loan, and we can also take money out of our retirement, but I don't really want to do that.

I'm also planning on writing letters to our state legislatures, my insurance co, and my husband's benefits manager. I think its discriminatory to exclude infertility treatment.

I'm looking for IVF avenues myself. I also heard that IVF in foreign countries is alot cheaper (India charges only $2000 US), they're american docs who return to India. But that's risky.

Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Reddy