Manchester Unity Policy Change - Not including Reproduction services any more

[Cuddlepie]

Hi ladies,

I got a hell of a shock when receiving a letter from Manchester Unity yesterday, not only telling me the increase on my cover (yeah, no surprise here...what is Not increase ) but also a few policy changes:
1. access increase from $200 to $250
2. Instead of 2 maximum access per year, now 4 from 1st May 2008, which means $1000 per year
3. No Obstritic or reproduction service will be covered after 1 Jan 2009

I called to enquire today and they said reproductive service such as IVF etc. are completely taken off from all of their policies, so basically I will either have to get pregant before or change cover to another healthfund to cover IVF cost if that exists.

I am feeling the Universe is giving me a deadline from all directions. It feels really unfair. Apart from the unsaid stress from all of TTC, this is the last thing I need.

Oh, well, deep breath, I will find another one will cover this. Can anyone tell me which angel Health fund is doing this for us LTTTCers?

Thanks ladies!

[butterfly_warrior]

BeiBei, can't help you out with any answers, but I do share your frustration!

We've been muddling through without assisted reproduction cover, but with the way my current health fund has messed us around with respect to the time I spent in hospital last November/December, and the fact that they just closed the branch closest to us... I've been looking for a new fund - hopefully one that will give us cover for assisted reproduction...

Strangely enough, iSelect was listing all the MU policies pretty highly - guess the removal of assisted reproductive services hasn't filtered through to them yet!

I suspect that we'll continue to muddle through with cheaper cover that doesn't help out much with EPU costs and pay for that side of things ourselves...

BW

[smiles4u]

Hi BeiBei,

.... Hope alls okay in taking the herbal formula ... Mine tastes a bit like gin, LOL ... What a wake up lil drink to have especially in the morns

Anyway, touching on your current subject ... I too yesterday nearly fell over when I read my letter from Medibank Private telling me of the increase

My same level of cover has 'way more than doubled' in cost since I joined about 8yrs ago.

This time I've had enough & I'm gonna shop around, maybe checkout the Iselect website & see what they can come up with.

I tried them about 3yrs ago but my cover at the time was the cheapest BUT I'm hoping someone out there now might have a cover cheaper.

... My concern is the waiting period

Fingers crossed for US both with the Herbal Formula

[sushee]

I thought that if you changed funds, you didn't have to wait out the waiting periods again. Check that out, coz I clearly remember being told that by my health fund.

[smiles4u]

Thanks heaps Sushee I will certainly check that out

... Just last time I checked thru iselect few yrs ago there were actual waiting periods with the 'some'

I feel bit more hopeful now ... Thanks again !!

*** So sorry Beibei I can't be of any help with you concern

[Cuddlepie]

Hi thanks for the posts ladies, Smile, I think Sushee is right, you shouldn't have to serve the waiting period if you move parallel to another cover for the things you previously covered, hope that is making sense.

I joined MU about a year and half ago, purely for the benefit that they 100% cover IVF day surgery cost..well, now I only have till 1 Jan 2009 to enjoy this...I personally hate the 'shop around' exercise, as you need to know all the details of the cover, I am a bit annoyed that I have to do this again so soon...

BW, I don't think we would be able to afford EPU & Transfer day surgery cost if without a private healthcover, I think it would cost me $845 for EPU+ $464 for Transfer only for Theatre/accommodation cost...currently it is 100% covered by MU...maybe that's why they realized it costing them so much money, ha!

Ah..we will see...I hope someone will give us all an answer...

[melbel]

With regards to hospital and theatre cost they should not be able to dicriminate based on the procedure. That is law. What they may mean is that you will no longer be able to claim the mdicare gap for the doctors part of the EPU?
Hospital cover is hospital cover pure and simple...they cannot dictate why you are there. Medical cover is different if that makes sense.
I would ask for clarification from them cos from what I know of private health you should still be able to claim the bed fee etc.

It's all very strange...my policy does not have a specific IVF clause but it covers all the bed and theatre fees regardless. The only gap we have is the basic IVF fee everyone pays upfront each cycle.

ETA: Just checked my provider. HBA covers all in hospital stuff as long as it is eligible for a medicare rebate. The only exclusion is if you are and overseas corporate visitor they wont cover IVF. So if you are a resident you are fine.