Insurance coverage for NFP: strategy and templates?

[etmom]

Not for creighton method it isn’t free. Creighton method is more than just “charting”. You aren’t considered actually using the method unless you have regular meetings with an instructor. (it can be every 6 months-1 year once learned).

You have to pay each month you keep a chart? They actually charge you to chart? Or you just pay for followup? And if you charted for 20 years , you must gi every 6 months no matter how long or how well you completely understood and used the method?

 

[PaulinVA]

Yes to both questions. Our practitioner would bill but our insurance company will not cover the diagnosis code.

Well, I see that OBs, General Practitioners and RNs do get paid for that code in some plans, so it’s your plan that isn’t paying.

Is it that your plan doesn’t cover “birth control” and this is lumped in with it?

 

[agapewolf]

You have to pay each month you keep a chart? They actually charge you to chart? Or you just pay for followup? And if you charted for 20 years , you must gi every 6 months no matter how long or how well you completely understood and used the method?

No. You pay for appointments. In order to be considering using the creighton method for effective avoiding pregnancy, you must be going to follow up appts. This is an important component of usage of the method.

If you go than more than a year between appts, you have to pay a small amount for the charts/stickers.

It’s not a big deal to go to a follow up appt, and its a good idea. I’ve been charting for 10 years and still go to one every couple years (not ever year because I’m not married). I go to make sure I’m charting correctly, using the correct stickers, and go through all the reminders of the exact process of observation to remind myself the procedure.

Remember, Creighton method is standardized teaching with Scientific observation method (which no other method uses). It is very exact process…easy to get lazy with it.

 

[rjm54]

Well, I see that OBs, General Practitioners and RNs do get paid for that code in some plans, so it’s your plan that isn’t paying.

Is it that your plan doesn’t cover “birth control” and this is lumped in with it?

The plan is a very typical American plan in that it covers a wide range of “preventive” services as well as the full gamut of artificial birth control. Creighton meets both of these needs.

 

[AAArose]

Are you saying that if you go to your OB/GYN for an annual visit and he/she bills for a diagnosis code of V25.04, Counseling and instruction in natural family planning to avoid pregnancy, that your insurance company will not pay for it?

Have you asked your practitioner if they bill and/or how to get reimbursement?

Yes to both questions. Our practitioner would bill but our insurance company will not cover the diagnosis code.

insurance companies are a pain you can try but I don’t think you will get them to cover this code. first talk with your practitioner about the code and your service. I have a nfp doctor I’m alway going for something else other than “counseling for nfp” but he will give advice on nfp and look at my charts briefly without charge. if you practitioner is prescribing something for cycle irregularity and thats not covered by your insurance again talk to him about it and see if there is another way. if this is about or including the charges for the nfp teacher counseling ask for financial aid here were I’m from teachers only ask for donations if you can. if you are racking up the bills with your practitioner trying to fix irregular cycles ask about other ways to fix the cycle. for example basal body temperature can help and it is allowed by creighton method its hard to find a creighton teacher to counsole the bbt temp cause most don’t have the training. I added bbt temps to my creighton method I had to teach myself about it and find additional charts for it. I had two charts one for creighton one for bbt temps. my creighton teacher knew I charted both and it doesn’t affect the creighton method.

 

[etmom]

No. You pay for appointments. In order to be considering using the creighton method for effective avoiding pregnancy, you must be going to follow up appts. This is an important component of usage of the method.

If you go than more than a year between appts, you have to pay a small amount for the charts/stickers.

It’s not a big deal to go to a follow up appt, and its a good idea. I’ve been charting for 10 years and still go to one every couple years (not ever year because I’m not married). I go to make sure I’m charting correctly, using the correct stickers, and go through all the reminders of the exact process of observation to remind myself the procedure.

Remember, Creighton method is standardized teaching with Scientific observation method (which no other method uses). It is very exact process…easy to get lazy with it.

Something to definitely consider when choosing a method of NFP. Personally I wouldn’t have like having to visit and pay for a visit every 6 months if I had a good understanding of the method, had been using it for years and had no issues with cycle or the method. Creighton isn’t taught in our local area, I think the closest instructor is about 3 + hrs away, so that would be a big deal to me - that’s a 7 hr round trip.

I’ve needed additional help post partum and for a few particular instances in all the years I’ve used NFP. But sympto thermal works perfectly for me. I learned Billings initially, but had some problems with that one. It’s good that there are a variety of methods for people to chose from - everyone is different. I just didn’t understand needing insurance to pay for NFP - because my own experience has been very different with sympto-thermal. I’ve always found one of the benefits is the low to no cost!

 

[agapewolf]

Something to definitely consider when choosing a method of NFP. Personally I wouldn’t have like having to visit and pay for a visit every 6 months if I had a good understanding of the method, had been using it for years and had no issues with cycle or the method. Creighton isn’t taught in our local area, I think the closest instructor is about 3 + hrs away, so that would be a big deal to me - that’s a 7 hr round trip.

I’ve needed additional help post partum and for a few particular instances in all the years I’ve used NFP. But sympto thermal works perfectly for me. I learned Billings initially, but had some problems with that one. It’s good that there are a variety of methods for people to chose from - everyone is different. I just didn’t understand needing insurance to pay for NFP - because my own experience has been very different with sympto-thermal. I’ve always found one of the benefits is the low to no cost!

You don’t “have” to go to follow ups to use the information to make decisions. This is the Creighton method quality control to insure the method is reliable by having regular checkups. I think its wonderful.

In your first paragraph you seem to resent this, then your 2nd paragraph you said you needed more help. You contradict yourself.

 

[Inthemountains]

I know you said you don’t want to talk about politics, but sorry, I can’t help myself. And actually, this is economics, not politics. The surest way to make something expensive is to get it covered by insurance. If we want to bring health care costs under control, routine medical care should be handled on a cash basis and health insurance should be for life threatening illness, such as cancer, organ failure, etc.

 

[etmom]

You don’t “have” to go to follow ups to use the information to make decisions. This is the Creighton method quality control to insure the method is reliable by having regular checkups. I think its wonderful.

In your first paragraph you seem to resent this, then your 2nd paragraph you said you needed more help. You contradict yourself.

I don’t resent it, it just wouldn’t appeal to me. In 20 years of NFP and 6 children, I’ve needed additional assistance (about 20 minutes worth) 3 or 4 times. That has been invaluable to me, but I wouldn’t want to invest significant time (for me would be significant, with the distance involved) and $$ into bi annual visits during the same time, that’s all. I could see going to a few follow up visits to ensure understanding, resolve issues if there were any and ensure everything is going well. Unless the method changes, I can’t see going again and again for decades, unless the method is so complicated you need a professional to understand it for regular, routine usage. But that is probably because I’m used to something that doesn’t require it. Every method is different, I would find using a monitor for the Marquette method quite different as well

Maybe I misunderstood a previous post, I thought it said you HAD to go to the follow up visits to be considered to be “using” the method.

 

[agapewolf]

I don’t resent it, it just wouldn’t appeal to me. In 20 years of NFP and 6 children, I’ve needed additional assistance (about 20 minutes worth) 3 or 4 times. That has been invaluable to me, but I wouldn’t want to invest significant time (for me would be significant, with the distance involved) and $$ into bi annual visits during the same time, that’s all.

Maybe I misunderstood a previous post, I thought it said you HAD to go to the follow up visits to be considered to be “using” the method.

Yes, “to be considered using the method”. officially.

and it wouldn’t cost money if insurance covered it (which mine does).

 

[Felx]

I’m not sure about the how is the policy in NFP insurance coverage? I don’t have that much interest about it. What I’m interested is about auto insurance companies. I want my car to be insured.