The Official TTC Thread!

[Blenheim]

Date: 11/6/2007 1:31:52 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Hello ladies,

Not TTC yet, but all of this is SO fascinating that I admit, I''ve been lurking. I have an observation and a question.


Re: the Robitussin. I believe Robitussin contains a drug called Guaifenesin, which is an expectorant. It''s what you take when you have a cough to bring up the phleghm. TG was right-on when she called CM ''Tw*t snot''. If you think of it that way, and you take the Guaifenesin, then it''s logical to assume that your hoo ha would act like your nose/chest and expell all of the snot. Hence causing an increase in the discharge.


Now on to my question. Someone mentioned that age 35 is the somewhat arbitrary date that ins companies start paying for fertility/genetic testing and treatment. Is this only for ''average'' people? What happens if you have a history of some genetic issues and under 35, but your OB/GYN suggests genetic testing before TTC? Will ins cover that? I mean, one would think that a simple (though possibly expensive) test would be less costly than a dependent born with a genetic disorder requiring life-long medical attention and treatment and would therefore be covered, but as we know with ins and BC (small cost of BC versus cost of Prenatal visits, L&D, etc), looking ahead isn''t always what the ins company does.


Anyway, thanks in advance and good luck to everyone TTC!!!!

That was my comment about the insurance companies, although someone in the TTC after 35 thread mentioned another reason for the extra testing after 35 that makes a lot of sense -- something about the chance of finding a problem surpassing the risk of something going wrong from the testing at about that age. That''s most likely why insurance companies cover those procedures for women over 35. (I''m not close enough to the age of 35 that I was seriously discussing this with my doctor, so my understanding is probably incomplete.)

In your case, I think that it would probably be best to talk to your insurance company -- I''m sure that all policies are a little bit different. My gut feeling is that if you''re in any higher-risk group (over 35, family history, etc), or if a doctor thinks that it''s necesssary, then insurance should cover it, but -- as you said -- gut feelings often don''t correspond with how insurance companies handle things (ie, BC).

 

[sunkist]

I have another question about insurance, too. In the Calling all Pregnant PSer''s thread I think JCrow, Tacori and others were talking about insurance not covering a pregnancy unless you''ve been with them for 1 year. Is that typical for all insurance agencies? My delema is I am thinking about changing jobs and therefore will probably be changing insurance agents, so is that not prudent considering that I would *like* to get pregnant in a few or more months? I don''t see how they can do that when sometimes things just happen unplanned.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I think any insurance NOT covering L&D should be a criminal offense. Seriously. Not cool.

 

[Blenheim]

I''ve recently read (forget where) that it''s illegal for insurance companies to treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. I assume that means that they have to cover it.

When I read that Tacori has to wait until Jan to start TTC because of insurance, I assumed that it was because of wanting to switch insurance plans or get on her husband''s insurance or something -- open enrollment for a lot of companies is in Jan, so that made sense to me. She might eventually be able to clarify, but she''s probably too busy for a little while.

 

[Jaders731]

Date: 11/6/2007 9:17:56 PM
Author: sunkist
I have another question about insurance, too. In the Calling all Pregnant PSer''s thread I think JCrow, Tacori and others were talking about insurance not covering a pregnancy unless you''ve been with them for 1 year. Is that typical for all insurance agencies? My delema is I am thinking about changing jobs and therefore will probably be changing insurance agents, so is that not prudent considering that I would *like* to get pregnant in a few or more months? I don''t see how they can do that when sometimes things just happen unplanned.

Sunkist, I was one of the ladies that chimed in.. I cant speak for everyone, but I know that when I got my health insurance in January 06, I immediately added maternity, as there IS a 10 month wait. I was able (if I wanted) to get pregnant in Oct. 06. I believe most companies differ in their wait period.. but I know that MOST companies do have a wait period.. as it benefits the company.

The insurance company (from what I was told) was just covering themselves so that I didnt get a decent insurance rate.. and immediately get pregnant. You have to understand.. that we pay for insurance as a just in case... so that we have help when we DO need healthcare. So.. while an insurance company CANNOT refuse you a policy based on a "pre-existing" condition such as pregnancy, or if pregnancy falls into the wait period.. they sure can UP your policy rate.. and charge you out the wazoooooo! The wait period is to ensure to the company that you are NOT pregnant when you sign for your policy.. and that you do NOT get pregnant during the wait period so you can get a "cheaper" rate.

Personally, I think its crap.. I had to pay in sooo much money for insurance that I couldnt technically use... but I must say.. it did give me peace of mind knowing that after Oct. 06, if I did get preggo.. then I would be covered.. and have a pretty decent policy to cover me.

Hope that helps.

 

[snlee]

From my understanding, once you're insured, your insurance company should cover your pregnancy. I know for some companies you have to work for 1 year before you're eligible for other maternity benefits, such as a leave that is job-protected.

 

[chrono]

I just wanted to chime in that this insurance maternity adder option is phooey! Insurance should be a flat rate, pregnant, trying to be, or not. Otherwise, what''s the point of it? Healthcare cost in the USA is too crazy!

 

[robbie3982]

I'd never heard of maternity insurance until this thread...how do you find out if you have maternity insurance? How is it different than regular insurance?

ETA: I was looking on my insurance co's website and it looks like it's just considered inpatient treatment...They have a cool feature where you put in your zip code and then choose what procedure you're having done and it'll tell you what the procedure costs at different facilities in your area due to insurance coverage. It's not working for my area though

ETA#2: It looks like I'd only have a $250 copay for being in the hospital...can that really be right??? That sounds really cheap...

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 11/7/2007 10:19:31 AM
Author: Blenheim
I've recently read (forget where) that it's illegal for insurance companies to treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. I assume that means that they have to cover it.

When I read that Tacori has to wait until Jan to start TTC because of insurance, I assumed that it was because of wanting to switch insurance plans or get on her husband's insurance or something -- open enrollment for a lot of companies is in Jan, so that made sense to me. She might eventually be able to clarify, but she's probably too busy for a little while.

I know with my previous employer once you were on their plan, pregnancy was covered in full. I thought that it was illegal as well to not cover pregnancy when it comes to insurance through an employer.

My employers insurance specifically stated pregnancy is not a pre exisiting condition. Maybe the terms are different if you buy your own insurance? I know a friend of mine tried to buy health insurance during her pregnancy & got denied. It was considered a pre exisiting condition or they just didnt offer maternity at all. I did find this:


1. Maternity claims are not considered prexisting on group plans. Even if you are mid-pregnancy when you get on to a plan, it should be covered in full for the dates you were on the plan.

2. Group pre-existing condition is waived (on all types of services) if you did not have a lapse of coverage before you enrolled on their plan of more than 60 days.

3. Pre-existing condition is not more than 12 months, usually less if you had other coverage within less than 12 month before the policy started.

4. Individual policies sometimes have a 12 months waiting period before they cover pregnancy. This is not a "preexisting condition" because you were probably not pregnant 11 months before your waiting was still applicable .

Another thing I just wanted to add is you have 30 days after baby is born to add them to your insurance plan. If you dont do it, forget whatever they wont have insurance coverage. You will have to wait for the next open enrollment.

 

[Jaders731]

Ladies.. please you really must look into your own provider... I know that I have blue cross blue shield and they have a seperate Maternity coverage... its about $120 more a month (arggh.. dont even get me started)

I think any Americans would agree that our insurance system here stinks.. but YES.. most insurances will require you to have a seperate "rider" for maternity... you regular health policy does not offer it (at least from my experience)

Robbie, you should call your medical insurance, or your rep. through work and find out whether or not maternity is included in your policy.

I think a lot of women who are TTC dont exactly know that maternity coverage isnt an automatic thing...

 

[mrssalvo]

maternity on our planned is covered without a rider, but we did have a 10 month waiting period when we first got the coverage.

if you are working, many times your coverage will include it as well, at least this is the case with my sister, if she leaves and gets a new job, the new company insurance is supposed to pick up where the other takes off.

please do check your policy''s b/c they really are all very, very different.

 

[robbie3982]

I just called the insurance company and they said that pregnancy is covered and there''s no waiting period...not that a waiting period would''ve been an issue since we''re waiting a year to start trying anyway.

 

[somethingshiny]

The insurance my DH had at a previous job covered pregnancy IN FULL! All I would have paid was one ten dollar copay on the first visit! This was even going to cover induction, c-section, hospital stay, anesthesis, the whole thing! We did get great coverage for some fertility treatments while we were on it.

Now, we have crap insurance. We''re still trying to pay my son off! He''ll be two in Feb, we still owe thousands!!! (my original portion was over $20,000!!!) The insurance decided they knew better than my doctor. They didn''t see a reason for me to not have an immediate c-section and nix the 2 days in labor. (in hospital due to induction). REALLY?!?! YOU didn''t see a reason for me to be in labor for two days?? How bout that?! Me neither! Guess I should get screwed financially now, huh?

So PLEASE make sure you know those silly little loop-holes some insurance companies use!!

 

[ljmorgan]

As someone mentioned, you each should contact your own insurance provider, and if you know someone that works at the new company you want to work for, ask about their benefits.

I work for the federal government, have Blue Cross Blue Shield... it costs me $130 a month and pregnancy/hospital is covered in full (but $15 co-pays for some doctor visits.) All coverage starts immediately and they aren't allowed to exclude any pre-exisiting conditions if you work for the government.

 

[blushingbride]

So, I''ve been hearing different things regarding BD when TTC. Some people have said not to have too much BD during the week of ovulation and others have it everyday. What have you ladies heard and how often did you "BD" when trying??? Any particular pattern you followed?

 

[snlee]

Date: 11/9/2007 10:12:56 AM
Author: blushingbride
So, I've been hearing different things regarding BD when TTC. Some people have said not to have too much BD during the week of ovulation and others have it everyday. What have you ladies heard and how often did you 'BD' when trying??? Any particular pattern you followed?

I've read that you should BD every other day in the week leading up to your ovulation or when you notice EWCM. It takes about 48 hours for the sperm count to build up to their most fertile levels.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/9/2007 12:24:43 PM
Author: snlee

Date: 11/9/2007 10:12:56 AM

Author: blushingbride

So, I've been hearing different things regarding BD when TTC. Some people have said not to have too much BD during the week of ovulation and others have it everyday. What have you ladies heard and how often did you 'BD' when trying??? Any particular pattern you followed?

I've read that you should BD every other day in the week leading up to your ovulation. It takes about 48 hours for the sperm count to build up to their most fertile levels.

That's what I've heard, too.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 11/6/2007 9:17:56 PM
Author: sunkist
I have another question about insurance, too. In the Calling all Pregnant PSer''s thread I think JCrow, Tacori and others were talking about insurance not covering a pregnancy unless you''ve been with them for 1 year. Is that typical for all insurance agencies? My delema is I am thinking about changing jobs and therefore will probably be changing insurance agents, so is that not prudent considering that I would *like* to get pregnant in a few or more months? I don''t see how they can do that when sometimes things just happen unplanned.

no, my insurance COVERS pregnancy. what i was talking about is SHORT TERM DISABILITY. this policy does have a 10 month waiting period for pregnancy coverage. so you have to wait 1 month after signing up before trying to conceive in order to be covered 9 mos. down the road when you deliver. this policy is IF something were to happen and i''d be out of work... say on bed rest, which happens. with my company i don''t have paid days off for a delivery - except stored sick leave and vacation time which i may or may not have at time of a birth. so this policy would pay IF something were to happen during or before a delivery which would require me to be out of the office. does that make sense?

 

[regalada]

blushingbride, we tried every day up to O day on some cycles, then every other day in others. The one that worked was perhaps the one I most consciously timed. We started BDing on the first day I got EWCM, did it the next two days, then took a one night break when I saw on the OPK that I was not going to ovulate that day. The next day the OPK was positive, so we BD the evening of O day.

DH was a bit taken aback by my precision in handling that cycle but I told him if it doesn''t work this time I want to know that I did everything possible. When we got the BFP, he was so glad he went along with my control-freak ways

.

 

[blushingbride]

Wow Regalada - that''s really interesting - and this was your first try? A friend of mine had the same luck - gosh, I can only hope that the same happens for me. For some reason, I have this fear that things aren''t going to be so easy and I know it''s silly to worry about that when we haven''t TTC just yet, but it will happen soon.

After getting my AF last weekend (my first AF since going off BC), I''m really anxious to see what happens during my ovuation week and when I get my next period.

 

[regalada]

blushingbride, we got pregnant on our eight cycle

 

[curlygirl]

blushingbride, almost everything I read said to do it every other day, just like you said. We decided to possibly increase our odds and throw in a little gender swaying so we did it every day for 6 days up to O, skipped O day and did it the day after. It worked on the first month of trying! Like regalada, DH was very impressed (freaked out?!) by my precision and determination!!! I had been charting for about 4 months so I knew my cycles really well and was a slave to my thermometer! I did try to spice it up though so it wasn''t strictly baby making for him, although that''s pretty much all that was on MY mind!! You can''t put too much pressure on the guys because they have to perform way more than we do!!!!!

 

[blushingbride]

Thanks Curlygirl! But, wait - you aren''t supposed to BD on the day you ovulate??

And then only once the day after since your eggs are only around for 24-48 hours right?

 

[janinegirly]

wow you guys really have this down to a science. even beforehand!

i have one less clinical question. if you are charting (trying to figure out your cycle after coming off BCP), what are you using for protection? do you just avoid possible o-days, or just winging it or using protection each time. just curious...i mean sometimes you come off bcp to get things back to normal, not necessarily b/c you''re ready immediately.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/9/2007 4:34:19 PM
Author: janinegirly

i have one less clinical question. if you are charting (trying to figure out your cycle after coming off BCP), what are you using for protection? do you just avoid possible o-days, or just winging it or using protection each time. just curious...i mean sometimes you come off bcp to get things back to normal, not necessarily b/c you''re ready immediately.

We used condoms last cycle.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 11/9/2007 4:34:19 PM
Author: janinegirly
wow you guys really have this down to a science. even beforehand!

i have one less clinical question. if you are charting (trying to figure out your cycle after coming off BCP), what are you using for protection? do you just avoid possible o-days, or just winging it or using protection each time. just curious...i mean sometimes you come off bcp to get things back to normal, not necessarily b/c you''re ready immediately.

We are mostly using protection, but this past month just winged it the days following right after AF.

 

[snlee]

Date: 11/9/2007 3:26:45 PM
Author: blushingbride
But, wait - you aren''t supposed to BD on the day you ovulate??

And then only once the day after since your eggs are only around for 24-48 hours right?

That''s what I''ve read - you''re supposed to try the day you ovulate, which isn''t always easy to tell. I''ve read that the egg only lasts 12 to 24 hours (sometimes as little as 6 hours) and it takes about 10 hours for sperm to make it to the egg.

 

[robbie3982]

Date: 11/9/2007 4:34:19 PM
Author: janinegirly
wow you guys really have this down to a science. even beforehand!

i have one less clinical question. if you are charting (trying to figure out your cycle after coming off BCP), what are you using for protection? do you just avoid possible o-days, or just winging it or using protection each time. just curious...i mean sometimes you come off bcp to get things back to normal, not necessarily b/c you''re ready immediately.

We''ll be using condoms at all times at least until I feel confidant that I can tell when I''m going to O. I''m hoping that at that point we''ll only need to use them at O time, but that may take a bit of convincing for DH. I don''t think he trusts this whole FAM method of BC.

 

[E B]

Well, I'm officially on day 2 of my first completely natural cycle off the pill. Yay! This last cycle coming off the pill was 29 days, which I'm happy with.

We haven't yet decided to TTC this cycle, but if not this, then probably the next. It's all so exciting, finally being here, off the pill, and onto a normal system. I don't think I'm going to temp just yet, but I will be checking CM.

(I know, kind of random, but I have no one else to share this info with but my husband (boring!) or my TTC ladies!)

 

[snlee]

Date: 11/9/2007 6:57:42 PM
Author: EBree
Well, I''m officially on day 2 of my first completely natural cycle off the pill. Yay! This last cycle coming off the pill was 29 days, which I''m happy with.

We haven''t yet decided to TTC this cycle, but if not this, then probably the next. It''s all so exciting, finally being here, off the pill, and onto a normal system. I don''t think I''m going to temp just yet, but I will be checking CM.

(I know, kind of random, but I have no one else to share this info with but my husband (boring!) or my TTC ladies!)

Yay!! I''m excited for you EBree!