Three days after our initial appointment at the fertility clinic and we received our first, of probably many, bills.
It looks like there are lots of hidden extras that are going to cost us money. The first is the SA that the husband had done, the second will be for the 3d scan and blood tests scheduled at the end of the month. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate not having to pay for the actual cycle but it would have been nice to have been told on Monday that we would be receiving a bill for the SA and that the scan is going to cost. The lovely IVF doctor has already lost a couple of marks and we haven't even started!
Showing posts with label NHS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NHS. Show all posts
Friday, 5 February 2010
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Still excited
So the doctors appointment lasted a total of ten minutes. I told her what she needed to do and which clinic we would like to be referred to. Hark at me telling the doctor what needed to be done! She said that they get so many rejections for funding that she was so pleased when she read our letter of approval. I feel special. It really is great news that we have been given this opportunity on the NHS.
So now all we have to do is wait for an appointment from the clinic. Easy. At least it should be easy but I am going crazy. I just want to start tomorrow. Give me an appointment at midnight and I would take it. It has taken us a whole year to get to this stage. A whole year of waiting, no treatments, no testing (bar the tests for STI), no monitoring. Suddenly I am having dreams about being pregnant, about having a baby. My hopes have been accelerated out of all proportion. I'm back in 2006 when we embarked on this journey, I'm excited and happy and thinking that this could actually happen for us.
So now all we have to do is wait for an appointment from the clinic. Easy. At least it should be easy but I am going crazy. I just want to start tomorrow. Give me an appointment at midnight and I would take it. It has taken us a whole year to get to this stage. A whole year of waiting, no treatments, no testing (bar the tests for STI), no monitoring. Suddenly I am having dreams about being pregnant, about having a baby. My hopes have been accelerated out of all proportion. I'm back in 2006 when we embarked on this journey, I'm excited and happy and thinking that this could actually happen for us.
Friday, 10 July 2009
The response...
...from the PCT is in!
The letter was long so here are the highlights:
In 2008/09 there was no routine funding of specialist conception they deferred all treatment bar the couples on the existing waiting list who were approaching the upper age limit within the PCT criteria (39+).
In 2009/10 the PCT agreed a phased reintroduction of funding for specialist assisted conception for couples who meet all of the current PCT criteria (check) AND are known to hospital secondary care services (surely they know us, they have been treating us since September 2008) AND where the female is aged 37, 38 or 39 (bugger!).
The hospital who informed me that there was no funding have been told off and I have received an apology on behalf of the registrar who informed you that there was no funding for treatment in June 2009 as this was clearly incorrect. (Is that meant to make me feel better?!)
Apparently there is a mechanism to consider individual cases where a couple do not meet the criteria for funding in 2009/10 and where the GP or hospital consultant feel that there are exceptional circumstances in their case which over-rides the criteria.
Do I have exceptional circumstances? I don't think so. I'm just one of many IF struggling to conceive, there is nothing exceptional about me so my IF journey with this particular PCT is over.
They can stick their NHS funded conception UP THEIR ARSE!
I'm not that angry, I didn't expect my letter to the PCT to miraculously change their mind and place me on a waiting list. It helps having a back up plan. Hopefully I will know either way (next Thursday) whether the neighbouring county has funding and if they will consider our case. If not, we go it alone, spending the small amount of money we made on our house sale in our quest to have a family. I know that we are lucky to have this money but, all I can say is, thank god we eventually sold the house.
I went back to WW and unbelievably I only put on a pound. I seem to have got my eating back under control (day 2 and counting) so let's hope I can shift the last 10lbs to finally get to goal.
In case you are interested, the title picture is the view over our back hedge. Doesn't look like that now though because the Oil Seed Rape flower has died off.
The letter was long so here are the highlights:
In 2008/09 there was no routine funding of specialist conception they deferred all treatment bar the couples on the existing waiting list who were approaching the upper age limit within the PCT criteria (39+).
In 2009/10 the PCT agreed a phased reintroduction of funding for specialist assisted conception for couples who meet all of the current PCT criteria (check) AND are known to hospital secondary care services (surely they know us, they have been treating us since September 2008) AND where the female is aged 37, 38 or 39 (bugger!).
The hospital who informed me that there was no funding have been told off and I have received an apology on behalf of the registrar who informed you that there was no funding for treatment in June 2009 as this was clearly incorrect. (Is that meant to make me feel better?!)
Apparently there is a mechanism to consider individual cases where a couple do not meet the criteria for funding in 2009/10 and where the GP or hospital consultant feel that there are exceptional circumstances in their case which over-rides the criteria.
Do I have exceptional circumstances? I don't think so. I'm just one of many IF struggling to conceive, there is nothing exceptional about me so my IF journey with this particular PCT is over.
They can stick their NHS funded conception UP THEIR ARSE!
I'm not that angry, I didn't expect my letter to the PCT to miraculously change their mind and place me on a waiting list. It helps having a back up plan. Hopefully I will know either way (next Thursday) whether the neighbouring county has funding and if they will consider our case. If not, we go it alone, spending the small amount of money we made on our house sale in our quest to have a family. I know that we are lucky to have this money but, all I can say is, thank god we eventually sold the house.
I went back to WW and unbelievably I only put on a pound. I seem to have got my eating back under control (day 2 and counting) so let's hope I can shift the last 10lbs to finally get to goal.
In case you are interested, the title picture is the view over our back hedge. Doesn't look like that now though because the Oil Seed Rape flower has died off.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Dog with a bone
After spending ages writing a post about my experience at the doctors I realised that I had already told you all about it. Seems like I am definitely going crazy. So, I've rehashed the post to just include the bits that are new.
I feel like I am climbing a bit of a mountain at the moment. After my hospital appointment I was mad with the PCT so I emailed and asked, under the F.reedom of Information (FOI) Act, information on funding for IVF for the current financial year and information on the current waiting list. On Monday I received a response. It would seem that my PCT, the PCT that has told me twice that there is no funding for IVF has actually allocated £64,000 this financial year for IVF and that there is currently no waiting list. Now, I'm not naive, I know that just because funding has been allocated does not automatically guarantee that it is available. It may already be allocated but, the fact that they have said that there is no funding, thank you and goodbye has really pissed me off.
What about -
"There's currently no money available but we will put you on a waiting list to be considered at a later date"
OR
"There is funding but it is currently being spent on the existing waiting list"
OR EVEN
"We are not able to add you to the waiting list but if you phone us in 6 months things may have changed"
Nope, none of that. Just a very definite -
"Fuck off - we can't help you"
I'm that pissed off that I have written a letter of complaint to the PCT. In the letter I include the information obtained from the FOI Act as well as other documentation obtained from committee minutes and a recently published survey of IVF provision in England which all state, in writing, that there has been and still is funding (oh, but apparently you have to be 39+ to receive it).
Nothing is ever easy.
I feel like I am climbing a bit of a mountain at the moment. After my hospital appointment I was mad with the PCT so I emailed and asked, under the F.reedom of Information (FOI) Act, information on funding for IVF for the current financial year and information on the current waiting list. On Monday I received a response. It would seem that my PCT, the PCT that has told me twice that there is no funding for IVF has actually allocated £64,000 this financial year for IVF and that there is currently no waiting list. Now, I'm not naive, I know that just because funding has been allocated does not automatically guarantee that it is available. It may already be allocated but, the fact that they have said that there is no funding, thank you and goodbye has really pissed me off.
What about -
"There's currently no money available but we will put you on a waiting list to be considered at a later date"
OR
"There is funding but it is currently being spent on the existing waiting list"
OR EVEN
"We are not able to add you to the waiting list but if you phone us in 6 months things may have changed"
Nope, none of that. Just a very definite -
"Fuck off - we can't help you"
I'm that pissed off that I have written a letter of complaint to the PCT. In the letter I include the information obtained from the FOI Act as well as other documentation obtained from committee minutes and a recently published survey of IVF provision in England which all state, in writing, that there has been and still is funding (oh, but apparently you have to be 39+ to receive it).
Nothing is ever easy.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Very small steps
Yesterday I went back to my doctor. I wanted to talk to her about the NHS funding issue as it had been her who had originally informed me that there was funding, that we met the criteria and that she would refer me to the consultant. My doctor is lovely, she really takes the time to listen and yesterday was no exception. I didn't think that she would be able to help with the NHS funding issue I mainly went because I wanted to know what my FSH levels had been in January 08. Egg sharing requires that you meet certain criteria and having FSH levels less than 8.0 IU/I is one of them. My FSH levels from January 08 was 7.8.
Whilst talking to the doctor it emerged that the practice that I am registered at actually comes under the neighbouring primary care trust (PCT) so there is the possibility that there may be funding with them. The lovely doctor is going to look into it and, if there is, she is going to recommend that we are considered for funding. Although this is good news it does raise a number of issues that we will now have to consider, these include:
1. The timescale of the possibility of NHS funding - it will take at least 6 weeks for a panel to decide whether D and I can be given fertility treatment on the NHS.
2. The waiting list for NHS fertility treatment - if we are approved we will be placed on a waiting list. The length of time on a waiting list could range from 6 months (who am I kidding) to 2 years (probably more like it).
3. Age - I've recently turned 34 so we have just under two years to go down the egg sharing road (which dramatically reduces the cost of IVF) because you have to be under 36.
4. We have said that we will have two attempts at this and then walk away. If we wait for the NHS funding I will be too old to be able to do egg sharing so the second attempt (yes, I'm talking second attempts because I really don't believe that it will work for us first time) will be a full paid attempt.
5. If we go down the egg sharing route but it doesn't work, will we still be eligible for NHS funding?
OK, I'm starting to send myself a little stir crazy now. There is just so much to consider. I hate situations like this. I know that it is a good thing that we may still be able to get funding for this but, part of me just wants to get on with it now. I had got it in to my head that we would be doing some form of treatment before the end of the year and if we wait for the NHS to make the decision and then plonk us on a waiting list we will be lucky if it is next year.
Of course, the husband is so laid back about it he is almost horizontal. He is still hoping that we will conceive naturally so the longer it takes us to have treatment the better. I am trying not to push him but I am getting very impatient. Three years is long enough.
So, I'm getting my blood work done again at the doctors which will save us some money and time if we go down the private/egg sharing route. This is going to take up the next three cycles. We have decided which clinic we will go with. I have requested an information pack from the clinic. The doctor is going to find out whether there is a chance of NHS funding. I'm going to try and and not stress about it (which is easier said than done).
Whilst talking to the doctor it emerged that the practice that I am registered at actually comes under the neighbouring primary care trust (PCT) so there is the possibility that there may be funding with them. The lovely doctor is going to look into it and, if there is, she is going to recommend that we are considered for funding. Although this is good news it does raise a number of issues that we will now have to consider, these include:
1. The timescale of the possibility of NHS funding - it will take at least 6 weeks for a panel to decide whether D and I can be given fertility treatment on the NHS.
2. The waiting list for NHS fertility treatment - if we are approved we will be placed on a waiting list. The length of time on a waiting list could range from 6 months (who am I kidding) to 2 years (probably more like it).
3. Age - I've recently turned 34 so we have just under two years to go down the egg sharing road (which dramatically reduces the cost of IVF) because you have to be under 36.
4. We have said that we will have two attempts at this and then walk away. If we wait for the NHS funding I will be too old to be able to do egg sharing so the second attempt (yes, I'm talking second attempts because I really don't believe that it will work for us first time) will be a full paid attempt.
5. If we go down the egg sharing route but it doesn't work, will we still be eligible for NHS funding?
OK, I'm starting to send myself a little stir crazy now. There is just so much to consider. I hate situations like this. I know that it is a good thing that we may still be able to get funding for this but, part of me just wants to get on with it now. I had got it in to my head that we would be doing some form of treatment before the end of the year and if we wait for the NHS to make the decision and then plonk us on a waiting list we will be lucky if it is next year.
Of course, the husband is so laid back about it he is almost horizontal. He is still hoping that we will conceive naturally so the longer it takes us to have treatment the better. I am trying not to push him but I am getting very impatient. Three years is long enough.
So, I'm getting my blood work done again at the doctors which will save us some money and time if we go down the private/egg sharing route. This is going to take up the next three cycles. We have decided which clinic we will go with. I have requested an information pack from the clinic. The doctor is going to find out whether there is a chance of NHS funding. I'm going to try and and not stress about it (which is easier said than done).
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
The end of the NHS road
It has been 18 months since I initially went to the doctors. 18 months since the doctor told us that there was funding for IF in our region and that we met the criteria.
It has been 8 months since our initial consultation at the hospital and 6 months after I had the laparoscopy and was informed that, if I did not get pregnant in the next six months, our next step would be assisted conception.
6 months of waiting, hoping and anticipating that we would be moving on to the next stage of our IF journey. 6 months of waiting to be told that, as far as the NHS are concerned, it is the end of the road for us. Of course, we can continue our journey alone and they wish us well.
I was in shock. I had done my research. I had seen documents that stated that our Primary Care Trust (PCT) would pay for one cycle of IVF to couples who meet their criteria. Crikey, I had even seen minutes from a meeting in June 2008 that said that they would focus on offering one cycle of IVF to 39+.
When I mentioned all of the above to the Registrar yesterday (obviously the consultant is too important a person to give us the brush off) she was insistent that there is no funding.
Yesterday I was distraught. I felt like they had given us hope and then, at the last minute, snatched it away. I was worried that D would definitely not want to pursue assistance if it meant that we had to find the money for it and I felt angry that they had left us hanging for six months.
So now what? Well, now we try and find the money and we go it alone. D and I talked and we are both committed to giving it a go. D isn't against it and I need to do it to get some closure, if nothing else. At the moment we can't afford it but we are going to look into the possibility of egg sharing in the hope of reducing the cost.
This morning I feel positive. I almost feel happy that we have been released from the NHS. Obviously there is the pressure of funds but, now we can decide exactly when we want to proceed with this and which routes we want to take. In saying that, I'm not going to leave it there. I am in the process of writing a letter to our PCT and I will be making an appointment at my doctors to see whether she can shed some light on it.
It has been 8 months since our initial consultation at the hospital and 6 months after I had the laparoscopy and was informed that, if I did not get pregnant in the next six months, our next step would be assisted conception.
6 months of waiting, hoping and anticipating that we would be moving on to the next stage of our IF journey. 6 months of waiting to be told that, as far as the NHS are concerned, it is the end of the road for us. Of course, we can continue our journey alone and they wish us well.
I was in shock. I had done my research. I had seen documents that stated that our Primary Care Trust (PCT) would pay for one cycle of IVF to couples who meet their criteria. Crikey, I had even seen minutes from a meeting in June 2008 that said that they would focus on offering one cycle of IVF to 39+.
When I mentioned all of the above to the Registrar yesterday (obviously the consultant is too important a person to give us the brush off) she was insistent that there is no funding.
Nope kiddo, it's the end of the road for you two - but don't leave it too long to decide which clinic you want to go to because you have been trying for over three years now.
Yesterday I was distraught. I felt like they had given us hope and then, at the last minute, snatched it away. I was worried that D would definitely not want to pursue assistance if it meant that we had to find the money for it and I felt angry that they had left us hanging for six months.
So now what? Well, now we try and find the money and we go it alone. D and I talked and we are both committed to giving it a go. D isn't against it and I need to do it to get some closure, if nothing else. At the moment we can't afford it but we are going to look into the possibility of egg sharing in the hope of reducing the cost.
This morning I feel positive. I almost feel happy that we have been released from the NHS. Obviously there is the pressure of funds but, now we can decide exactly when we want to proceed with this and which routes we want to take. In saying that, I'm not going to leave it there. I am in the process of writing a letter to our PCT and I will be making an appointment at my doctors to see whether she can shed some light on it.
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