ktgrok Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I am pretty much set on trying an IUD (paragard) for birth control. My plan was to have my midwife (CPM) do it at my 6 week appointment. I called today to see if they could check with my insurance about the out of pocket cost. Turns out that my midwife no longer will order them herself (not sure why....I was just talking to the office person....), so they would have to give me a prescription for it, which I would send in to a pharmacy in Canad (to get the best pricing), then she would insert it for me and bill my insurance. At which point she could reimburse me for the cost of the device. It looks to be about $200, not including shipping, from what I can see. My other alternative would be to contact the Ob/Gyn office I sometimes use and have them do it. I'd have to pay the $25 copay for the visit, and I do not have a relationship with anyone there, but because I've met my deductible for the year I have nothing to pay other than that $25 copay. On the one hand, I have to go to my midwife for my 6 week check up anyway, so having her do it saves me an additional appointment somewhere else. And no copay as the fee was included in the homebirth fee I've already paid for. I have a relationship with her and trust her to put it in as comfortably as possible, trust her to give advice if I have problems, to get back to me right away, etc. On the other hand, I Hate to pay out of pocket and then wait for reimbursment. I just had a root canal last week, the birth itself, etc etc. I mean, we probably can do it, it just seems a bit weird, you know? Also, the OB/GYN office might do them more often and have more experience putting them in? What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 That sounds quite odd to me. You will pay for the device and then your midwife will bill the insurance for it? I'm not sure that is legal, even if she plans to then reimburse you. I think I'd go ahead and make a separate appt at the OB/GYN for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 That sounds quite odd to me. You will pay for the device and then your midwife will bill the insurance for it? I'm not sure that is legal, even if she plans to then reimburse you. I think I'd go ahead and make a separate appt at the OB/GYN for that. :iagree: I've never had to do that for anything. They bill the insurance and then if the insurance rejects the claim, they bill you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Also, the OB/GYN office might do them more often and have more experience putting them in? What would you do? That reason alone sounds like a good reason to use the OB/GYN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I would go to OB-GYN. It sounds like a sticky mess about why M/W is no longer ordering the IUD and I wouldn't really want to get involved. Plus, who wants to wait to get reimbursed 100% when you will pay a fraction of that and get it over and done with? Yes it is two appointments, but then you won't be pacing the house waiting for a check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'd go to the OB/GYN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 thanks for the thoughts. I agree it seems weird...may have to talk to the midwife directly about it to see what the deal is. I just hate going to the OB/GYN....it means bringing the kids along unless DH takes a day off work. Bringing the kids is easy at the midwife's place...she has toys in the office/exam area for the toddler to play with, a student midwife to hold the baby for me, or my son could come and take the toddler out on the patio to play with the outside toys while it is inserted. At the Ob/Gyn I'll have a stranger doing it, and really..thinking about it, will need to ahve DH stay home with the kids. Hmm... I'll talk to him about it and see what he thinks I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'll be the dissenting voice. Comfort and established relationship mean a lot to me. I'd see my midwife for that in spite of the hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 If I were going to do that I'd go with the most experienced person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Total aside: I tried to get an IUD at 6 weeks. It wouldn't stay put, so it was a waste of money. Afterward, my OB thinks that I shouldn't have nursed in the waiting room before trying insertion. As nursing can cause uterine contractions. She has never had this happen to another patient, but did say other places recommend 8 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 If I were going to do that I'd go with the most experienced person. I don't know who that is, or how to tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I don't know who that is, or how to tell. Call the midwife - ask how many of these she has done this year. Then call the OB's office and ask the same question. In general, I have found IUD insertion to be much more comfortable when done by an experienced person. BTW - they told me 8 weeks on the IUD after delivery as well. A good thing to check before making the appointments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Call the midwife - ask how many of these she has done this year. Then call the OB's office and ask the same question. In general, I have found IUD insertion to be much more comfortable when done by an experienced person. BTW - they told me 8 weeks on the IUD after delivery as well. A good thing to check before making the appointments. hmm...the midwife could tell me for sure, but the OB office has a dozen doctors, so it would be hard to say. I know the midwife said 6 weeks, but I will see what the Ob/s office says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Go to the OB/Gyn. My normal OB wouldn't put in a IUD. She sent me to an OB/GYN who did that regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Ok, called the OB's office and spoke with the nursing manager. They would need me to come in twice, once for a well woman visit and then for the IUD, after they ordered it. I really would rather do my well woman visit with my midwife, so this is a pain. I explained to the nurse manager and she said oh, well just have the midwife write you a script for the iud, get it from a pharmacy, and have her insert it. LOL, that was without me even mentioning that option. Apparantly it isn't that odd a practice to do it that way, and she suggested it as the best option. What I need to do is do it through a US pharmacy so that my insurance will cover it I guess? Edited: GRR~! I just talked to Paragard, and they don't sell it to pharmacies anymore. You have to order from them, and they do not bill insurance. And it would be $750 out of pocket, and then wait for the insurance to reimburse. GRRR. I bet that is why the midwife doesn't order them anymore, she doesn't want to be out the $750 while waiting for insurance to cover it. Looks like I will go to the OB/gyn, after all, which means an extra 2 appointments in my life. gee, yay. grr! Edited October 9, 2012 by ktgrok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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