Insurance Woes!

After spending over three hours on the phone with my insurance company over the past few weeks, I received conflicting information which basically made my visit to my primary care yesterday a waste of time. It turns out that BCBS changed their policy in the midst of my conversations about P17 and home health care coverage.

The same woman from Baby Blue Prints that I dealt with during my first pregnancy called me this morning (after I spent 1.5 hours on the phone with member services) to let me know that I must pay for the injectible out of pocket and have my husband, friend, neighbor, etc. learn how to inject this viscous solution into the muscle of my behind on a weekly basis. I was told this after reading a horror story of a woman who received her injections incorrectly and ended up with a terrible infection. Infections and pregnancy don't mix. Why chance it, or so I thought - give me a nurse to shoot me up with progesterone each week. My husband sure can't stomach that and I can't very well aim for my tush with any accuracy, especially as I get bigger and bigger.

My frustrations came out on this woman as I ranted and raved over the fact that my breast pump rental (a one year rental) was not covered by my insurance when in reality is should have been. Having a 24 weeker in the hospital for 105 days and then bringing home an oxygen-dependant baby who doesn't have the strength to breastfeed each feeding, is defined as a very legitimate reason to have a hospital-grade breast pump. Yes, I am proud to say, that Missy Girl got one year of breast milk and was eventually (with the help of a handy invention called a nipple shield) able to take some of her feedings each day at the breast.

The point of this whole tirade was to illustrate to the woman that I don't trust the insurance company to reimburse me.

It looks like all the work my new primary did was for naught. My visit yesterday was for nothing - although I have the wonderful knowledge that I'm anorexic - remember it's lack of appetite, not some purposeful avoidance of food.

I see Dr. C next week at which point I am going to request that they attempt to get me a home health nurse. Yes, come 20 weeks, I will be seen weekly, and could probably get my shots then. Yes, I have friends who are all too familiar with these injections who have offered to teach proper technique to hubby. And yes, I have two neighbors who are nurses and have offered to help me out. But really, how do you repay someone for coming over once a week (for what should be a 20 week treatment) to stick a needle in your bottom? Would it be more comfy to get my shot at home - absolutely! Abbyloopers members have given me the plan: warm the vial in my bra, try to find the smallest gauge needle that will work, ice my behind until numb, take the shot, massage with heat and just stay in bed! Oh, and alternate sides each week.

This is far from over!