Ok girls I really need you to help me out with this one!
I got a bill in the mail for $750 dollars. This bill is for the freezing of my embie babies. For those of you that don't know - I went through IVF and I have about 7 embies frozen on ice. Insurance doesn't cover the cost to keep the embies on ice so I have to pay $750 every year. Otherwise I would have to donate, destroy or give to science. This is a really tough decision for my husband and I. We don't know what to do and have been struggling since we got the bill.
When we first got pregnant we knew that we were going to freeze our embies in case the pregnancy didn't sustain. So we easily paid the $1,000 dollars. But this time is different. We do want to have another child but we want to wait about 3-4 years until we do so. So if we pay the money this year that means we have to pay it for the 3+ years until we decide to have another baby. We also wanted to try naturally for a year first - then do the treatments if necessary.
The other issue is insurance. I was VERY lucky to have a job that has great insurance to cover most of my infertility treatments. But who knows about the future - that could change. I would just kick myself if 3 years down the road I didn't have insurance to cover and I gave up my chance for a few FET's.
Another thought is that FET's aren't as probable that they will end up in pregnancy so maybe it would be better just to go through IVF again. But even though I have been through it before the thought of going through IVF again scares me a little.
I know that $750 dollars over a year isn't that much money but Jay and I just feel like we have been throwing money out the window lately. And you cant get a payment plan - you have to pay it all up front! I don't think this bill could have come at a worse time. Since I was on my maternity leave we have had to dip into our savings and now that I am back at work we are just starting to regain control of our money, kinda.
Uggggh!! I don't know what to do. I really want to save my embies because I would kick myself if we had to go through IVF again or pay for it out of pocket. (and I dont see our infertility issues being resolved) But I also don't want to dig ourselves deeper in a hole of debt. And if we pay the money this year then we have to pay it for the years coming otherwise this first payment would be a waste! And what if - by a big chance - we did get pregnant naturally? Then we wouldn't have needed to pay the money each year at all!
This is such a hard decision. I know you girls cant make it for me but some advice, thoughts, wisdom would be greatly appreciated!!!
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i would pay the money and save them at least until you know for sure exactly what you want to do. Retrievals cannot be cheap.
ReplyDeleteI agree with e...I'd pay it. We actually didn't end up with any embies making it to freeze during our cycle (got pregnant with IVF #1 - did IVF due to MFI), but we were fully prepared to pay for the storage fee each year if we did have some left over. The FET (I have heard) is much easier on your body than a fresh cycle & if you save for the $750 over the year, then it will not be such a hard ship. I wonder if FSAs will cover that - it's maybe something to look into. Anyways, hope this helps & GL making the decision.
ReplyDeleteIt's like insurance.
ReplyDeleteYou pay for insurance (car insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, pet insurance in my case) IN CASE you need it. If you don't end up needing it, you've paid this premium for however many years and it seems like maybe it was "wasted" because you never had to use it.
BUT... when it happens that you DO need to use your insurance... when you wreck your only car, or you have to have emergency surgery, or your dog takes a $500 bite out of your other dog's ear.... well, that insurance sure is worth it.
So no matter what you decide to do, don't think of paying the money as a "waste". You can't predict the future, and if you decide to pay to store them, it's just your "insurance".
I can't really offer an opinion because I am not an IVF girl. :( But I will say this much: Go with what your heart is telling you is right.
ReplyDeleteHUGS!
I'd pay it too. We didn't have any embies to freeze this go around & I really wish we had. My ins. only covers 2 IVF's after a live birth and it took us 2 to get a BFP so who knows it may take 3 next time and we only have 2 tries. I'd say... they are yours so pay for them... you never know what may happen down the road. IF you do get PG on your own $750 isn't really all that much when you think of what you WOULD have spent just in meds to carry out the FET. Your choice though! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have any that were freeze-worthy when we did our IVF. But had we, I would have definitely paid for the storage. I know it's money that could easily be spent on something else or put into savings, but I would always wonder "what if?"
ReplyDeleteI know it's not an easy decision, but make sure you are okay with the end result, whatever you decide. ((hugs))
All I can say is that I would pay it. I never count on any miracles (natural pregnancy), and FET is way cheaper than a fresh cycle. I would pay the money and try a FET before a fresh cycle.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you are faced with such a difficult decision. I would pay the money and save the embies. For me it is a decision based on my beliefs though so it may not sway your decision nor do I want you to feel like I'm imposing my beliefs on you :) I will pray that you make a decision that you are comfortable with. (((HUGS)))