Weekly Appointments • w/o 8.5

echo-charlietango

The anatomy scans aren't complete for December 2018 - who gets to see their gestating little this week?
(or just visit their OB, or dentist, etc.)

donnawicks

follow up AS on the 9th!! Hoping she works with us this time mumma needs that profile!! 

scaredunprepared

Me me me!  Finally getting our anatomy scan tomorrow at MFM (IF all goes well and they agree to code it properly ahead of time so my insurance will actually cover it). 

If they are not in agreement, we will walk out and instead have the AS Thursday morning at a radiology lab which I've already scheduled because I'm expecting the worst.  No way I'm paying another $600 out of pocket for another ultrasound because MFM refuses to code in a way that is consistent with what my insurance wants.  Stupid healthcare system. 

hkom

MFM tomorrow morning.  Again.  

Hollyyyyy

@scaredunprepared Hopefully they code everything in your favor and you can get in!

@hkom Good luck tomorrow!

I have a follow up A/S this coming Friday. I'm excited to see her again, and I have everything crossed that they are able to get all the pics/angles they need, and things are still looking healthy

gorgeousariel

@scaredunprepared hopefully they code it right. I had issues with MFM when I went last time with DD. Apparently they were trying to get it approved through insurance for 3 days but couldn' get through ( idk why not) so they waited for me to come in for my appt instead of calling me to verify the insurance. They still couldn't get it approved and in the meantime they skipped me and let someone else go in front of me. They ended up telling me " oh well we will just bill your insurance and then if you have to pay anything then you will get a bill" UHH WHAT?? I got skipped for that? 

PensiveCrayon

I DO I DO I DO!!!!!!!! Wednesday. 22 weeks exactly. So flipping excited. 

Side note: remember that time I scheduled my a/s for the morning I was flying back from DC? Turns out everyone was leaving today and I was going to have to figure out a hotel, so I switched my flight and am home now. Wahhhh I could have kept my original appointment! But Wednesday is not so far off. 

scaredunprepared

Good luck ladies! 

@hkom I hope it's all good news. 

@Hollyyyyy thanks, I hope so too.  Good luck with yours!

@PensiveCrayon at least you aren't rushing around like crazy.  And wednesday is right around the corner

@gorgeousariel that's pretty much exactly what happened. I ended up getting a bill after insurance told me that if done in the doctor's office (it was done at MFM office) I'd be completely covered, as opposed to at a radiology lab where I'd have to pay 50%.  Surprise! MFM billed in such a way that my insurance interpreted it as a radiology lab anyway, so I got stuck with a bill that I was not expecting or prepared to pay. Fun times.  I'm not going through that again. If they can't tell me up front that this time will be different, I'd rather go to a lab and KNOW I'm going to have to pay X amount so I can budget for it.  Did you end up having to pay a bill or did insurance finally approve?

Erinka

I have my anatomy scan this Wed 8/8. It’ll be so fun to see our baby girl moving around in there and how much she’s developed in the last two months or so since our last u/s!

ps. I was fed up w/my MFM Office bc the u/s were crazy expensive $200-300 AFTER insurance (and I have great insurance). I asked my OB to send me to the radiology lab which will be way cheaper even if slightly lower quality. Baby girl is healthy and all tests have been coming back perfect (inc. cell DNA) so I’m not worried—give me the cheaper option!!

CecilB93

Yay for more Anatomy Scans!!

I have a regular appointment on Tuesday, nothing special. I'll probably ask a few questions in regards to birth/induction date though. My mom is a couple states away, so the sooner I have a scheduled date the better, though I'm hoping to just go naturally anyways, the thought of being induced scares me a little bit honestly. So I'm wanting to start asking questions so I can be prepared.

gorgeousariel

@scaredunprepared yes I ended up paying. Don't remember how much, it was probably around $200. My issue this time is that I've already paid OB in full and that included the NT and A/S. I'm either going to have to get a refund from OB or insurance sees that I already paid ( but let's be real they're not going to just apply that money towards MFM.  

Jens_Hoes

@scaredunprepared Can't they just rebill with the correct code so you don't have to pay? It seems weird that they would bill it that way, and then say oh well.

I have a regular check up appt this Thursday, weight, urine, doppler.  I assume they'll talk to me about when to do the GD screen.

scaredunprepared

@Jens_Hoes they said it would be "illegal" to bill it the way the insurance wants it. Ugh. The saga continues.  SO and I decided to just have the AS today at MFM anyway, despite the $12500 price tag. I think there might be something wrong with us.

@erinka I totally know where you're coming from. We had planned to just go to a radiology lab if MFM couldn't bill us properly, but in the moment we decided to just have it done.  Your $300 bill doesn't sound so bad to me.  

@gorgeousariel i really hope they reimburse you the $200 since you already paid for it up front. That seems ridiculous!

hkom

MFM visit went well.  Everything is still in place and looks stable from last week.  Baby still looks great too.

Incredibly nervous to see our bill after reading this thread!  Although, I don't think we get billed until the end of everything, because I haven't gotten one statement or invoice yet for anything.

Jens_Hoes

@hkom I have good insurance, but everything is basically covered for me.  I had to pay $25 per ultrasound, and I think either 200 or 400 for the hospital stay, and that was it. Although, I have never had any extra services (MFM or anything like that)

hkom

@Jens_Hoes I do as well.  At least it better be good considering the boatload of money I pay for my plan every month!  It's odd not seeing any bills until the very end.  I don't know if I even want to see what these weekly ultrasounds are costing...

Jens_Hoes

@hkom I never even got a bill at the end.  Just copays for stuff.  You can always check to see what is covered in your insurance website/information they sent you.  Or you can call insurance yourself and see what you might be in for.

hkom

@Jens_Hoes  I know my deductible and out-of-pocket max.  And when I signed up they gave me a summary of typical costs for a number of routine medical issues.  Pregnancy was one of them, but they price they gave didn't include any complications.  I will probably end up calling them and the hospital at some point just to make sure everything is going through OK.

deutschmama

Anatomy scan on Thursday! The doctor who performs our ultrasounds speaks no English, so let’s see how much we learn from this appointment  Last time I just asked the question “Alles ist gut??” over and over so I’m sure our doc is really looking forward to our visit too...

@scaredunprepared UGH your insurance troubles sound so annoying, I’m sorry. I hope all goes well today.

clbness

@hkom So glad all is looking good for you!

Yay for more AS's this week...good luck to all!

Mine is tomorrow afternoon!  Much like @echo-charlietango I have been super nervous because I haven't felt my little guy move much, if at all.  I'm a STM, so you'd *think* I'd be positive what I have been feeling is movement, but, I've also been filled with all. the. gas. so...

countrygirl624

Hope everyone’s appts goes well!

@hkom Glad things are looking good!

AFM - I have an ultrasound Thursday to confirm growth. Not very nervous though I’m sure I’ll be an anxious mess day of. I am really excited to see my sweet girl - she moves so much!

scaredunprepared

@hkom so glad all is well.  You must be relieved!

@clbness good luck! 

@countrygirl624 I'm sure baby is just fine with all that moving!

Thanks for your comiserating about my insurance fiasco.  We are just going to have to suck it up, so it seems.   Lots of money out of pocket, but hopefully that just means baby will be extra healthy! (We can hope, right???)

Update: AS went relatively well (besides knowing we will be paying an arm and a leg). Baby was moving a TON and was super uncooperative.  They got most pics they needed except the hands and heart, so now I need to go back in 2 weeks and pay more money out of pocket, yay!  Doc says from what they could see of the heart everything looks ok, but they want to get a better look just to be sure.  Scheduled for 2 Mondays from now at exactly 22 weeks. 

Of course I'm a bit nervous about baby's heart (and overwhelmed because of our financial situation).  But I think all is well because baby's heart looked strong and with all that moving, I think baby is just fine.  US tech was shocked when I told her I couldn't feel baby moving and was still unsure if it was baby or gas. She told me she's pretty sure it was baby this whole time because baby is sitting really high up, and that's about where I've been feeling most of the movement (upper left quadrant). It feels like stomach gurgles and gas bubbles honestly!  As I'm writing this I'm feeling LOTS of it.

We told the tech to write down the sex, but in passing as she measured the legs, I saw!!!! After that, when she left the room to have me move in hopes that baby would shift, SO and I decided to just find out I was right, and what I saw was in fact a clear LACK of boy parts!  We are having a daughter!  We still haven't told anyone, and are getting our cake anyway, to celebrate halfway and so we can send pics to family and friends to let them know.  Eeeee!!!

mag1cbeli3ver

GL to everyone with appointments this week! Excited to hear results from more anatomy scans!

@scaredunprepared Congrats on your little girl! I'm glad the AS went well and I'm sure all will be fine when you go back in 2 weeks. And yey for all the movement you're feeling!

omnommer

Good luck to everyone with appointments!

I just had my follow up A/S - baby girl was still stubborn and wouldn't move out of the position she was in (head down in my cervix, which last time she was a complete 180, feet down/breech), so the tech had some trouble getting to the close up of the heart. We did get the left foot though, which was the other missing picture. After some acrobatics by me, we were able to get a position that we think was able to get acceptable pictures of the heart. I'll hear from the midwife this week if that was good, or if I need to go back a third time. Either way, I won't complain about seeing baby girl!

donnawicks

Wow having a baby in American sounds incredibly scary financially 
I'm in New Zealand all the doctors and scans are free (unless you want more we only usually get about 2 or 3 then its about $150 each time) midwife is free and hospital stay is free the only thing I've had to pay for is my pills which was $5 feeling pretty lucky over here 

rcultrona

Had my 20 week US today ( which was actually a follow up from the 18 week because they couldn't get all the views they needed). She was equally uncooperative today. Dr said all looked good but that her bpd( the measurement from temple to temple) seemed a little small. They want to so another US in 30 days just to check growth. He said this it totally normal and that babies heads are smooshable and don't always give an accurate measurement. The circumference of the head was fine and he said he wasn't worried and if it was his baby he would sleep just fine. I know this sounds fine but I have major anxiety issues so while DH walked out thinking it was a great scan with nothing but positives I walked out googling microcephaly. I feel selfish being this freaked out over something that is probably a non-issue when there are women with much bigger, confirmed problems but I can't turn my stupid brain off...

ab_canada

@rcultrona

Sounds like your doctor isn't concerned - so try not to be. At least he/she tried to reassure you that everything is probably fine! I've read too many stories where doctors were listing off all of these awful things when it was nothing.. Stay off google and try not to worry (I know the feeling - my little one has cleft, so I went through a stage of googling all the possibilities...) In the end, it only worries you and doesn't help the baby in any way. 

gorgeousariel

@scaredunprepared I heard back from my OB. They will reimburse me at the end of everything as long as I don't occur any more charges like a non stress test etc....

Katzalia

Ugh, so sorry for the billing woes several of you have mentioned. I’ve had some major hassles with insurance and needing to get prior authorization (or retro authorization) for random standards parts of prenatal care. Such a PIA. I definitely encourage any of you getting unexpected bills to advocate for yourself with the insurance company and potentially ask someone in billing in your OB’s office to contact your insurance and/or the ultrasound clinic. If you are feeling like you’re getting screwed on bills, you’re probably not the only one, and your OB’s office may be able to help advocate for you and/or put you in touch with the right people. The billing manager in my OB’s office was my new bestie for a month or so during the worst of the insurance woes, and she was extremely helpful. 

AFM, I have my 20 week OB visit on Thursday. It’s just a standard visit plus reviewing results from my A/S done last week (the sonographer said everything looks fine, so I’m not stressing about that).

I do want to check in with her re: a bad episode of painful cramping and BH contractions last night that kept up for at least 5-6 hours. I’m pretty sure it was due to over-exertion (aka lifting/wrestling a majorly tantrumming hangry preschooler) yesterday evening. But it was definitely a little unnerving to be less than 20 weeks and having to breathe through some intense cramping/contracting. I was glad to be mostly back to normal this morning and all day, but I did have a little going on again tonight. 

Hollyyyyy

@Katzalia Glad you're feeling better today, but that would definitely be unnerving. Good luck at your appointment tomorrow!

clbness

@Katzalia Ugh, that sounds awful...so glad you're feeling better today!

My AS went great yesterday!  The reason I can't feel him move is because I have an anterior placenta (which was what I was thinking/hoping it was...because my mind was going to bad places).  But, he was moving all over the place during the 30 minute long scan...he even flipped over to his other side and I couldn't feel a damn thing!  He is breech at the moment and they couldn't get a good look at his spine, so I will get another US at my next appointment to follow up on that.  At least I get to see him again.   Also, one of the US techs sent me home with a box of cute baby boy clothes, so I left a SBucks gift card on her keyboard.  Score!

scaredunprepared

@gorgeousariel that's great news!  

Glad all seems to be well with everyone.  These babies can be stubborn with not being in optimal positions! Sheesh. 

 @rcultrona I would try not to be too worried. It's likely that, similar to many of our littles, baby was just in a bad position and the measurements were off. I wouldn't be concerned if the doctor reassured you that all is probably ok.

@Katzalia I'm definitely advocating and being a pain. So far, only good news is the doctor is willing to work with us and reduce our bills for the USs by 30%, than put us on a payment plan.  I wish SO would just bite the bullet already and marry me so I could be on his insurance.  All of these Dr. bills would basically be nonexistent if we were married.  Ugh.  I think baby gets her stubbornness from him!

scaredunprepared

Sitting in my regular OB office for a standard appointment. Was here on time, access watched as 3 women who walked in significantly after me were brought in ahead of me.  And I'm still sitting in the waiting room 20 minutes later. 

PensiveCrayon

Anatomy scan went great! H drove separately and missed half of the scan trying to figure out parking, but he was more interested in talking to the doctor anyway. Still a girl, measurements look good, apparently I had a corpus luteal cyst no one told me about but it’s gone now anyway? Doc is happy with my weight gain and I was sent home with The Drink. Yay!

Katzalia

@scaredunprepared sorry about your long wait. And the insurance thing is such a PITA. Too bad you can’t be on your SO’s insurance as his partner. Some will let you do that, but sounds like you’ve already tried everything you can. 

@PensiveCrayon yay for a good A/s and OB visit! Glad your H made there for the part he was most interested in. MH is just the opposite — interested in seeing baby in the ultrasound but doesn’t feel much need to participate in visits with rhe doctor. 

Jens_Hoes

Had my 24 week check this morning.  Baby sounds great, HB 150, and my blood pressure and urine were great.  My weight, not so much.  They had to counsel me about how much I've gained in the last four weeks which made me feel SUPER shitty. I cried all the way to work because I've been trying SO very hard to not stress about my weight this time around and then this happens.  

morgantu

@Jens_Hoes well, I'm happy bb was good, but sorry that you were made to feel badly about your weight. I hope that you don't think all your effort not to worry about your weight is in vain; the less stressed you have been about it, means less stress for the baby, which is helping them to grow! Take care of yourself today and know that your worth as a person and as a woman DO NOT hinge on the number you see on a scale. Your body is doing something amazing, and sometimes it just needs a little extra body to do it with.

katy0990

@scaredunprepared Congratulations on your baby girl! Have you and @hkom gotten estimates from your OB?  Around 12 weeks I received a letter in the mail from my OB, that stated the total cost for their services  (Appointments and delivery not u/s or bloodwork since those are done at MFM and the lab) and they had already contacted my insurance company and found out what our portion would be. Then, I had to sign it and return it at my next appointment. It was nice to have that information. As it turns out, we will be paying my OB about $600, so we started paying $100 a month last month and that should be a done deal before the baby is born. All of my ultrasounds for both pregnancies have been at MFM and they end up being about $115 plus $25 copay for the MFM doc to look at them (that’s after our deductible has been met).

hkom

@katy0990 I have gotten literally nothing from them!  It's so strange.  I'm going to ask about billing at my appointment next week. 

katy0990

@hkom They should prepare you before you get a hefty bill at the end! That’s annoying!

echo-charlietango

@Jens_Hoes *high five for a good baby* Sorry that your weight became a negative talking point this morning. No fun. Are they thinking GD?