Socialized medicine and ART

Mrs.R2D2 · July 2009

Just curious to see what other people's thoughts are on how Obama's proposed "nationalized healthcare" proposal would affect the cost/availability of IF procedures and meds?

I'm a diehard neocon and don't perceive the man to be particularly supportive of more traditional family values. After busting my butt to earn/save the money to pay for IF treatment ourselves, I am REALLY ticked at the possibility of my H's and my taxes going up to potentially pay for some ahem, less than productive and hard working, citizens to get IF treatments for cheap/free, or to have to compete with these folks for a spot at a fertility clinic.

(Call it elitist, but that is how I feel. If people are allowed to tell me I don't deserve to have a child because I need IF treatments to do it, or because they think it takes away from the career I'm somehow obligated to be devoted to, then guess what, I'm allowed to pass judgements too).

I am also concerned that maybe with the state in control of these things, would we have to apply for government permission or something to even get IF treatments? As you may remember, I'm the one who posted about our old RE trying to "screen" us before treatment to make sure she felt we'd be good parents.

OTOH, I wonder if that proposal would make IF treatments affordable for everyone, including me and my H.

Thoughts? Does anybody else worry about this, or do I need to talk to my doc about getting back on my Ativan?

Shelley-Bean · July 2009

Even in Canada IF treatments are not completely covered under their healthcare - only if the tubes are completely blocked (I'm pretty sure). I don't see nationalized healthcare doing anything more than covering people who have no insurance - not giving more benefits to the people already on gov't healthcare. I'm familiar with the healthcare system in RI and Ga, and in those states, infertility is not covered at all under state health coverage (e.g. medicaid). Many forms of birth control is covered, but absolutely nothing related to RE.

I don't see the cost of RE going down, either. I feel it is in the same category as plastic surgery - it's not necessary to live (like cardiology, GYN, etc.) but some people really really want it. (like us). I don't think it will get any subsidizing from the government.

But who knows - maybe we'll all get free IVFs! I can dream, can't I?

qtpa2t · July 2009

While obviously nothing has been passed yet and there are only ideas floating around, my understanding is that the primary focus is on basic healthcare for now. Not comprehensive, inclusive healthcare. Given that emergency rooms and free clinics are now being flooded with people seeking just that due to the economy, I think it's a good effort. And if we trust the government to run something as large as the military - and people don't roundly dismiss it as a bad job - then I have to trust that once all the pieces finally fall into place, it will do an equally decent job at healthcare. Personally, I'd rather someone had basic healthcare and not give me tuberculosis than whine about my taxes. I'm self-employed. I actually know what earning your own income and paying your own taxes and healthcare is, as opposed to working for an employer who covers part and takes care of the bulk of that for me.

jcombs · July 2009

Yeah I wouldn't count my chickens until they hatched. We're a ways off of all socialized medicine at this point. I think the politicans have realized that and hence why they are focusing on getting coverage for the uninsured at this point, not for everyone.

That being said, I live about 2 hours from the Canadian border and have many dr friends....we have medical vacations here all the time because of the wait times up there (even for cardiologists which I think is horrible). I know that Winnipeg has a few clinics that offer IVFs and they are extra even for Canadian citizens. And I've been following the blog of an unexplained infertility guy in the Netherlands...its a 2 year wait of TTC with no success before they would start an IUI on them. I'm sure at my age, my TTC days will be over before (if) we have totally socialized medicine in this country (I'm 35).

BenandDina · July 2009

As someone who has actually lived in the Soviet Union until 1992 and knows full well what socialized medicine is like, I think it's a horrendous idea. And as someone who is married to a cardiologist and practices clinical psychology for a living, I can tell you that there are all kinds of memos being sent out about reimbursements being halved next year already and insurance companies cutting costs and groups not hiring or older docs not retiring because of needing to make as much $$$ as possible before the cuts go through. Furthermore, I am not so sure that making IF treatments available for free to everyone is a good idea (think Octomom, Jon and Kate plus 8, etc.) I used to do psych evals for patients who were candidates for bariatric surgery or for transplants when I worked in primary care, and if someone has to show psychological fitness and appropriateness to receive a gastric bypass or a kidney transplant, I think the same procedure should apply to people going in for expensive fertility treatments. They need to fully understand the risks and benefits, and they need to show that they want to become parents for the right reasons, so as to avoid the Octomoms of the world. My hunch is that the ladies on this board, who are educated, hard-working and well-adjusted women would make great candidates and have no problem qualifiying, but we all know some wackodoodles out there who want to get IF treatments for all the wrong reasons (e.g. the British lady on the "I didn't know I was pregnant" show who had a daughter at 59 via IVF that she received from a Russian or Polish clinic when she was discouraged from it in the UK).

Two*True · July 2009

My only concern is that there may be restrictions keeping the LGBT community for accessing ART. Right now our access is really up to our insurance companies and whether or not we want to pay OOP. I don't want to see the government start deciding what type of families deserve to be created.

BenandDina · July 2009

That's a very good point; that would be terrible. It amazes me that our country vacillates so much between being WAY too conservative and WAY too liberal. A happy medium would be nice.

Mrs.R2D2 · July 2009

Two*True:
want to see the government start decided what type of families deserve to be created.

Based on all the far-right AND far-left types out there, I am afraid for many reasons that that is exactly what would happen.

hopecounts · July 2009

Bad idea, yes the idea of less expensive ART is nice but all you have to do is look at the success rates and wait lists for ART in England to see it doesn't work well.

Over there it is a 2-4 year wait for Egg Donor IVF and a year for Straight IVF (at least the last time I checked ~ 6 months ago). It is so bad that many women are now going to other European clinics (Ziln, etc) for treatment.

While socialized healthcare sounds good the reality is in most places it leads to long waits for care and lower quality of care overall.

But I'm a republican so take my opinion for what it's worth to you.

fallbride110406 · July 2009

Socialized medicine =/= what Obama is proposing. I think a lot of people don't understand that what would be put into effect here is not like a lot of other countries. If you have insurance already through your employer, you keep it. You are not switched over to the universal coverage. The universal coverage is for those WITHOUT insurance currently or if for whatever reason, you and your spouse lose your jobs and need some type of medical treatment. As of now from what I understand, the only people that will be chipping in for said program would be single households making $200k or more or married households making $250k or more - the top 5-10% of the earners in the country. I honestly have no problems with that.

Honestly, I don't think ART will be covered. My hope is that it'll make private insurance companies more competitive to offer ART coverage though, along with other assistance so that people are more willing to pay for the private insurance/take their employers insurance. Even if ART never becomes a "right" in this country, basic healthcare certainly should be, and it shouldn't force you into bankruptcy in the process.

Jaclyn278 · July 2009

Two*True:
My only concern is that there may be restrictions keeping the LGBT community for accessing ART. Right now our access is really up to our insurance companies and whether or not we want to pay OOP. I don't want to see the government start deciding what type of families deserve to be created.

Very good point! If they are not in favor of LGBT marriage, what will do they with regards to ART???

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