Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Try calling John Hancock directly.
    
    They are listed in DEC phone book under "Insurance" 
    
    According to my book, (an older one, I MUST replace it someday)
    
    DTN:  223-3300      and 800-332-2060
    
    Good luck!
    
        Margaret
    

    Yes, they do!  I have a friend who is going through this now and they
    cover 80%.  Just like other medical charges.  Invitro has a bunch of
    requirments but they cover that also.
    
    If you call Hancock, they are very helpful in answering your questions!
    
    
    Jackie
    
      :-)
    
    

Last I heard they were like some of the HMO's who only cover AI if
the woman uses her husband's sperm.

Let me know what you find out, please.

           Carol (who is tired of getting refused because she is Gay)

    This is one of the places where state law intervenes, and therefor
    what is available in MA is different from what is available in CO.
    I believe, but can't prove, that MA *requires* that insurance companies
    cover IVF for policies written in this state.
    
    Alison

I just got corrected by my spouse. :-)  We didn't start John Hancock
until after I was pregnant.  I thought I couldn't change insurance 
coverage except during December, and my personnel rep told me later
that because the HMO said that they would cover infertility work and
then paid once and backed away, that I could have changed.

Sooo, my information on JH may not be accurate.

BTW, for those who don't know, AI is artificial insemination where the sperm
is placed into the woman through the vagina/cervix and IVF is invitro 
fertilization where the egg and sperm are joined OUTSIDE of the woman's
body, and then the fertilized egg is placed inside the woman's body
(I believe through surgery).

          Carol

    We live in New Hampshire and John Hancock did their usual 80% coverage
    of our AI except for the sperm washing.  They did not cover any of
    that.  I guess it's hard to get them to sit still long enough. ;-)
    However, the washing only cost $75.00 so it is not a big deal.
    

    FWIW if the sperm washing was in an attempt to get rid of HIV then the
    reason it wasn't coverned MAY be because the procedure is still
    experimental and has not been shown to be effective. (In fact there is
    evidence that it is not effective...)
    
    	-- Charles

Re .7

Actually, the sperm washing is to remove bacteria/germs and such that may cause
an infection because the sperm is put directly in the uterus, and does not pass
through the cervical mucus which normally kills all the things that could 
cause an infection.  I'm not sure why JH doesn't cover it.  I have an HMO, and
they cover the entire procedure 100% including the sperm washing.  I usually
get copies of the bills, and the entire procedure is not cheap, so I'm happy
that they cover it.  Now, if only they'd cover more than 70% of my drugs.
That would save me a few hundred dollars a month.

    Well, it turns out what I said a few notes back is incorrect.  John
    Hancock has now stated that they will not cover any of the procedure
    because we did not have a documented 5 year history of the husbands
    problem.  All we had was three years.  We did call up John Hancock
    prior to starting all this and was told they would cover it.  So, we
    are now bringing in personnel to help out.  The husband's problem is
    such that no surgery or drugs can correct it and it can not be
    self-healed no matter how much time goes by.  (this retracting of the
    agreement to pay takes place 3 months after the procedure was
    performed).  Watch out for John Hancock!
    
    I will keep you informed of the outcome of this little skirmish.
    

  As you go through the payment hassles, try to keep in mind who your
  actual adversary is.  It's *NOT* John Hancock.  They're just the
  "administrator of the plan".  The entity that is paying or not
  paying is, in fact, Digital Equipment Corporation.  (We self-insure.)

  This fact will be critical to your (succesful) negotiations with
  Digital Personnel, and also suggests what elevation strategies to
  employ should your negotiations with Personnel fail.

  A good lawyer (or even the threat of one) may not hurt if things
  aren't going your way.

                                   Atlant

That's interesting. When I was looking at the possibility to switching back to 
JH last year, I called to ask if they covered infertility treatment.  I 
specifically asked about IUI, GIFT, and IVF because that's where we were in the
process.  I was told that the procedure would be covered as long as we had a
documented 1 year of infertility, which was easy because we were already 3
years into it.  The difference might be that I am in MA, and by law, insurance
has to cover infertility treatments just like it covers other medical
conditions.  

    re .10
    I agree, to a certan extent. Digital sets their policies to be
    "reasonable" for the majority of employee situations. If you feel that
    an exception should be made, it can indeed be elevated through
    Personnel to the Benefits Review Committee (not sure of the correct
    title) who decides on exceptions. Personnel will need to present the
    case, and include such things as JH said they would cover and then
    renege.  I have gone through this, and my personnel specialist
    persevered and got approval for me.
    
    best of luck, and definitely elevate the issue.
    

    Thanks everyone.  The personnel rep here has talked to the person who
    makes the decisions at MK.  So, as it stands now, we have to get a
    letter from the doctor who did the testing 3 years ago stating the
    husband's physical condition, and that such a condition existed since
    birth and that there are no procedures/drugs etc. that could remedy the
    situation.  The request has been sent to said doctor and we are
    awaiting his reponse.  I will kepp you informed as to the final outcome
    as it happens.  Thanks again.