Western PA Folks

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

Hey all... I saw at least a couple of us in the re-intro thread, so I thought I'd create a post so we could compare notes!

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

Pittsburgh, here

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

lhbphd said:
Western PA here! Thanks, @sweetsurrender9! What a good idea!

So a quick question for all of you: I'm thinking of going to the Center for RE at Magee but I've put it off for insurance reasons (we have Highmark). Does anyone have any experiences with the REs at Magee? Should I just bite the bullet and book an appointment there? My OB is in the Allegheny Health Network so I'd be working with two different systems.

I got a 2nd opinion there. The dr that I saw is no longer there but I don't really have any complaints.
I do however LOVE my RE at west Penn

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

It's called the Jones Institute
DR Hartog

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

Just a heads up, the office also temporarily is housing an obgyn, so I've occasionally seen pregnant bellies and babies
Supposedly, that will all change soon

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

Pittsburgh here, too!

So I'm in the unique position of having been a patient at both Jones and Magee.

Jones is smaller and more personal. I don't like that their SART data isn't published. They do their egg retrievals and transfers at AGH. There have been times when I was pretty sure that they had less than no clue what they were doing, but they've redeemed themselves each time. I'm fine doing my Clomid cycles there, but I'm not sure I'm 100% comfortable doing IVF with them.

Magee is a little more like a baby factory. Their SART data is great. I saw Dr. Sanfilippo and love, love, loved him. He's the surgeon who removed my tube. We're actually going to go back there for an IVF cycle if we need it -- and perhaps just for a second opinion before we'd move to IVF. Now that I have insurance that will cover them again, I'm totally good with that option.

My OB is a WPAHS/AHN OB/GYN, so we'll cross health systems for that, which I'm okay with. He used to work at Magee and knows Dr. Sanfilippo very well. Also, I would far prefer to deliver at West Penn.

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

@sweetsurrender9‌ when were you a patient at Jones? Did you see Dr Kauma or Hartog?

rella22 · May 2014

Western PA as well! I go to Magee and see Dr. Collins! The entire staff has been great so far! I also have Highmark and they cover everything (but the actual IUI or IVF procedure). My ob/gyn is west penn but Magee got better reviews as far as an RE went so I went with them!

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

We're still at Jones. We started right after Dr. Kauma left. Our first Clomid cycle was a BFN. Today is CD1 of our second cycle; we go for ultrasound on Monday morning!

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

sweetsurrender9 said:
We're still at Jones. We started right after Dr. Kauma left. Our first Clomid cycle was a BFN. Today is CD1 of our second cycle; we go for ultrasound on Monday morning!

Margie is my fave

rella22 · May 2014

@snegde‌ I got to Magee and have Highmark and I have only paid copy's with them! I do like them but @lhbphd‌ I agree with your "just a number" but my west penn ob/gyn did the same thing and didn't take my infertility seriously and I pretty much had to ask for anything that I wanted done! It was frustrating! But I liked him personally and am definitely delivering at West Penn so I will switch back WHEN the the time comes! If you choose to go to the Jones Institute let me know how they are!

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

snegde said:

rella22 said:
@snegde‌ I got to Magee and have Highmark and I have only paid copy's with them! I do like them but @lhbphd‌ I agree with your "just a number" but my west penn ob/gyn did the same thing and didn't take my infertility seriously and I pretty much had to ask for anything that I wanted done! It was frustrating! But I liked him personally and am definitely delivering at West Penn so I will switch back WHEN the the time comes! If you choose to go to the Jones Institute let me know how they are!
Well maybe it's just new pAtients. I have blue cross blue shield so I was ok if I decided to go for a 2nd opinion. So far no one in this thread has sold me on leaving RHS. I feel like every place has their pros and cons maybe I just need to deal with what I don't like and make the best of it. I had a friend who saw someone affiliated with the Cleveland clinic in the south hills and she really liked him.

I agree @snegde‌ , every place will have its pros and cons. What I love about Jones are the nurses and how personal they are, which some might find unprofessional but it's just what I need. And I like the almost daily monitoring, but that is on injects. They may do Clomid differently

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

snegde said:

@lhbphd‌ as of last week when I called Magee they are not taking highmark at all presently. At RHS I'm with dr erb. I like her but they are lax on monitoring with IUI and clomid so I can't recommend them to anybody. But I feel more comfortable doing IVF with them so we'll see.

Wow. That's crazy. I can't believe they've already stopped taking new Highmark patients. I work for the other folks, so we're trying to brace for the possible influx of patients if there isn't a new agreement come December. I'm frightened.

I have one friend who had a baby with RHS and loves them. She actually tried to talk me into going there, but I'm too fat for their IVF guidelines, so there was no way. I have another friend who switched to there and is currently doing Femara, but I don't think it's monitored. I nearly fell over when she said that they told her that she didn't need monitoring for it or Clomid.

:-S

We did a phone consult with Shady Grove, and I really liked them a lot. The issue is that I'm not sure how they'll bill for ultrasounds for Clomid (under infertility or another code), and I don't want to get stuck with a huge ultrasound bill when I know the clinics here can code a little differently and get my ultrasounds paid for. In the discussions surrounding that, DH and I decided to go back to Magee for a second opinion and as long as everything is okay there, possibly move our care there.

@lhbphd -- I do chart. Post your chart link and see if we can give you an opinion!

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

Rachaeleigh said:
Margie is my fave

Margie is my very favorite too. She gave me a huge hug last cycle and wished us luck... we had two good looking follies and she was super hopeful for us.

kushie77 · May 2014

I'm jealous ladies. I'm on the other side of the state. We have one RE in the Scranton area and her SART numbers are terrible which is why I drive to Allentown to deal with RMA.

BeckyP005 · May 2014

:: lurker :: Hi! I'm over on TTC 35+ board and Third Party board. In an April cycle group over on IF. I can't believe how many Pitts girls are over here! Love Magee but tbh that is the only clinic that does "shared' cycle for donor eggs so guess I have to love them lol.

I work with 2 coordinators and they have been helpful any time I needed them. Good luck girls

. Oh and hope it was ok to post.

Rachaeleigh · May 2014

sweetsurrender9 said:

Rachaeleigh said:

Margie is my fave

Margie is my very favorite too. She gave me a huge hug last cycle and wished us luck... we had two good looking follies and she was super hopeful for us.

Margie gives good hugs :-)

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

BeckyP005 said:

:: lurker :: Hi! I'm over on TTC 35+ board and Third Party board. In an April cycle group over on IF. I can't believe how many Pitts girls are over here! Love Magee but tbh that is the only clinic that does "shared' cycle for donor eggs so guess I have to love them lol. I work with 2 coordinators and they have been helpful any time I needed them. Good luck girls . Oh and hope it was ok to post.

How is the shared donor program at Magee? Would you be able to give me a rough idea of what the costs are? My last AMH was low, so donor eggs might be in our future. Feel free to PM if you're more comfortable.

BeckyP005 · May 2014

@sweetsurrender9 ygpm. Figured it would be easier!!

modernfairytale8709 · May 2014

@kushie77

Who do you see in Allentown? I'm in the Pottsville area, and can't find a decent RE to save my life. I did a consult with the Reading Women's Clinic, and the RE specializing in PCOS was awful. I will not be going back there.

kushie77 · May 2014

@modernfairytale8709 I see Dr Shillings @ RMA. She's a little chilly in her bedside manner, but the rest of her staff and her PA are awesome.

modernfairytale8709 · May 2014

Thanks @kushie77

I'm going to do a bit of recon and check them out.

One of the ladies I work with referred me to RMA. They did her IVF 20 years ago because Reading wouldn't do IVF for unmarried couples at that point.

Of course, it's a whole new cast of characters now. Good to have a little info going in.

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

@lhbphd -- I have an appointment at Magee on the 29th, so if you don't get an answer between now and then, I'll certainly ask. What insurance will you be changing to?

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

lhbphd said:
Thanks, sweetsurrender9! Insurance is is switching to Aetna. There is no benefit manual available yet. It looks as though most of the coverage will stay the same but nothing was mentioned about IF.

I saw in Rachel's post that you saw Dr. Hecht. Did you like him? He tried to draw my blood on his first day (and missed!) -- he seems very personable. I think that if this Clomid cycle fails, I'm going to see if we can get a mini-WTF appointment with him to compare his suggestions with Magee.

I'm trying to compile my list of questions for IVF consults, because I'm convinced we're out for this cycle.

rella22 · May 2014

Hey ladies...just bumping this board real quick for some $$ questions!

My insurance covers meds however anything like the actual IUI or IVF is not covered. Was just wondering what everyone in western pa has covered and where they went! If this cycle is a bust we are moving onto IUI and wanted to get an idea of how much we would be spending!!

sweetsurrender9 · May 2014

Rella, I was at Jones before I made the switch to Magee (i.e.: today!!). The office folks are super nice. I can't tell you how much IUI is OOP because we just did TI cycles there. I wish you luck, though!

So I just got back from our IVF consult at Magee. This was the clinic where I'd started treatment (and had to leave when I switched insurance), and I'm actually really happy with how things went. We're planning on cycling there in July!

Right now, Dr. Sanfilippo agrees with me that I should have another HSG. Not just to check for a hydrosalpinx, but as he said, if we have an IVF that they would ordinarily convert to IUI, it's pointless if my remaining tube isn't good. I'll also have another sonohystogram.

We're going to recheck my AMH. It was 0.31 last time I was tested, but I had a profound vitamin D deficiency. Some studies say that a super low Vitamin D level can cause an artificially low AMH. He didn't seem to put much stock in those studies, but was agreeable to seeing if it might be true in my case. We'll also check the pesky vitamin D level again as well.

The last thing we have to do is our IVF class. There's one next week, but the time of day doesn't work out for us (4:30 pm?!?!), so we'll do it in July. Their lab closes at the end of June for cleaning and quality control anyway, so it's not a setback for us to wait.

He also highly recommended acupuncture and stress reduction. I'm going to download the Circle and Bloom series, call the acupuncturist (they have one in-office!), and perhaps pick up some yoga classes.

I'm so glad that the waiting for this day is almost over.

rella22 · May 2014

Thanks ladies...I'm doing TI now from Magee but my ob/gyn is west penn so I know it's crazy but I was thinking about making the switch to jones come June if we have to go to iui. Everyone in the office at Magee is super nice I just don't feel as though they are as aggressive and personal as I would like! We will see though!
Do any of you know the difference in success rates between the 2? Good luck to all of you!

sweetsurrender9 · June 2014

Jones ladies, did you get a telephone call to tell you that Dr. Hartog is no longer with Jones Institute? Judy called me yesterday to tell me about my progesterone level from a couple of weeks ago and gave me the news.

sweetsurrender9 · June 2014

lhbphd said:

Are you migrating to Magee officially? Or was this a move back to Jones post-Magee-IUI?

Officially moving to Magee. They called with the progesterone from our last Clomid cycle, which I already knew was a BFN.

We're starting IVF mid July!

JericaLH · June 2014

This is absolutely amazing! I had no idea there were ladies so close that I could talk to.

I'm a little further south of Pittsburgh (practically in WV) and am currently seeing Dr. Simons (OBGYN) from the Washington Health System. If this month isn't a BFP I'm going to ask for a referral for an RE because I'm not getting the monitoring I should just with my OBGYN. (Didn't know that until I joined this board....) Don't get me wrong I love my OBGYN and I definitely want her to deliver if we do get the BFP, but I feel like I need a specialist. So any suggestions? I'm willing to travel into Pittsburgh but unfortunately I have UPMC and was told that they only cover up to diagnosis of IF - no treatment. They didn't even cover my Clomid.

Thanks so much! Looking forward to talking with some local ladies!

sweetsurrender9 · June 2014

I know that Magee does ARC Fertility Financing (https://www.arcfertility.com/arc-treatment-packages.html). It's basically a way to finance cycles with a discount. We're lucky to have infertility coverage, but it's a very rare thing to have, especially since PA doesn't mandate it. Magee also has offices in McMurray and Bethel Park, so it wouldn't necessarily mean a trip the whole way into Oakland for every appointment.

With UPMC insurance, Magee may be your only choice. I don't know much about RHS, because they weren't ever an option for me, so I'm not sure if they'd take any of your insurance. There's also Shady Grove in Maryland, but again, I'm not sure what your insurance would cover there. They have Shared Risk and Shared Hope plans that are awesome, and may be worth looking into as well.

Picking a clinic is such a daunting task. Good luck... I hope you're able to find somewhere you're comfortable.

rella22 · June 2014

Hey ladies! I decided to make the jump from Magee to Jones...
UPMC policy is that they bill the IUI process under one billing (u/s, wash, and actual iui). My insurance company pays for IF diagnostics and monitoring but not for artificial insemination but because upmc puts it under one billing I would have to pay completely OOP...which is $1,050 at Magee..not including meds..
Jones bills seperately...so the only thing I will have to pay for is the actual insemination which is only $219. The u/s, semen wash, and meds will all be insured under IF diagnostics!
I'm excited to make the switch and get this process started and wants to share jic anyone else had a similar insurance situation!

JericaLH · June 2014

rella22 that is great news! I'm glad you found somewhere that works better with your insurance.

rella22 · June 2014

Just had my first appt. Hecht was great! Completely different than Dr. Collins at Magee....which is better for me! He was easy to talk to and wanted to hear all of my questions! Margie the nurse was also so fantastic! Glad I made the switch...looking forward to my next cycle!

ankhwearer04 · June 2014

Pittsburgh here! I go to an RE in Penn Hills. A few women I work with used them and loved them. its called RHS. They are great! Tons of monitoring and very helpful.

ankhwearer04 · June 2014

@snegde Awesome! Good luck with your IVF! I'd be down with doing lunch or something with you ladies. Let me know where and when! I live north of the city, but wherever works!

sweetsurrender9 · June 2014

I'd be interested in a GTG too!

rella22 · June 2014

me too!

JericaLH · July 2014

Hello everyone! So I finally got a referral from my OBGYN and she highly recommended RHS. I called and the earliest I could get an appointment was August 18th! (More waiting...) I'm scheduled to see Dr. Erp, has anyone else had any experiences with her? Good/bad? I'm really nervous and hope that things work out well! I would hate to wait a whole month and not like her. Also, I'm thinking about trying acupuncture - is she supportive of a more holistic approach?

md121212 · July 2014

Pittsburgh here!
Hello ladies, can I please join you? This is my very first post at The Bump. I had two miscarriages and four failed IUIs after that. I am 38 and a half years old and moving on to IVF. I am researching both RHS and McGees (I've been a patient at both during the last several years).
I'm looking for anyone who would like to share their experiences with IVF at these clinic.
Thanks for reading and looking forward to getting to know you.

RazzyRN · July 2014

@md121212 hey just wanted to say welcome! im new around here too and also from pgh!

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Western PA Folks

Re: Western PA Folks

March 2014 - RE appt.
April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormal
May 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm

12/2014- Surprise natural BFP EDD 7/31/15 Plan: Starting foster to adoption, natural cycles

March 2014 - RE appt.
April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormal
May 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm

12/2014- Surprise natural BFP EDD 7/31/15 Plan: Starting foster to adoption, natural cycles

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Want a personalized experience?

Western PA Folks

Re: Western PA Folks

March 2014 - RE appt. April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormalMay 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm

12/2014- Surprise natural BFP EDD 7/31/15 Plan: Starting foster to adoption, natural cycles

March 2014 - RE appt. April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormalMay 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm

12/2014- Surprise natural BFP EDD 7/31/15 Plan: Starting foster to adoption, natural cycles

Choose Another Board

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March 2014 - RE appt.
April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormal
May 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm

March 2014 - RE appt.
April 2014- Saline sono all's good, terrible SA results - 8 sperm found all abnormal
May 2014- Fert Urology- Bilateral varicoceles, recommend Donor Sperm