Funding for Tubal Reversal - How to Get the Money
If you have decided that you want your tubes untied to either have another child or for relief of post tubal ligation syndrome, then funding for tubal reversal becomes one of your major considerations. With tubal reversals being in the thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, most women cannot afford to pay the costs out of pocket.
Among the fees that will have to be paid to have the surgery are the post-op tests, the surgeon’s fees, the surgical facility fees, the staff including the anesthesiologist and any needed travel expenses if doing the surgery out of town in order to get the best doctor. In this article we have included a few different ways to try to come up with the cash needed to get the job done.
First is the good old saving for a rainy day. You simply begin to put the extra money you have every month aside in a savings account. I would go so far as to even suggest a savings account just for the purpose of saving for this procedure. If you mix it up into your regular savings account, you just might “accidentally” spend in on whatever comes up. If you don’t have extra or think you don’t, then it’s time to look into the various budget cutting and controlling methods that abound on the web. Do you really need cable TV or that extra latte every day?
Next is a version of the first in that you will end up saving to come up with the full amount. In this version, you go out and get a job. If necessary, you get a second job. Then put that money aside into your savings account till you have the full amount all saved up.
The next method of funding for tubal reversal is a payment plan. This will be set up with your surgeon, or more precisely his office. You will have to find out if this is available to you from your surgeon. If you choose world renown Dr. Gary S. Berger to do your surgery, you will find that this option is available. Simply contact his office to get further details on how this will work.
Some women use their family’s income tax refund to pay for the tubal reversal surgery. Depending upon your personal situation, you might have to wait a few years if just depending upon a tax refund. This is why some will use their tax refund to supplement their savings plan.
Usually the first place you will look for funding for tubal reversal is your health insurance provider. However, most will not cover this type of elective procedure though some may cover some of the initial testing. I hate to say it, but it all depends. It will really take a call to your company to get the real scoop and even then two different people there may tell you two opposite answers. If you do get someone to tell you a tubal reversal is covered, then get it in writing. You don’t want to be surprised after the surgery and find you have to pay it all with no reimbursement.
As this is an elective procedure you probably won’t get insurance coverage for it. But there just might be a way around it. You could try having your primary care physician state in writing that you need to have your tubes repaired. This might work if your reason for a tubal ligation reversal is due to post tubal ligation syndrome and your doctor is willing to help you. Repair work on your tubes, rather than a tubal reversal, might just be the secret words. Then again, if your insurance has a cap on how much you have to pay toward your health expenses, it might pick up whatever amount over that cap the surgery puts you. These are by no means sure methods, but they just might work.
Lacking health insurance to pay for the tubal ligation reversal, you might be lucky enough to have a flexible spending account for health at your or your husband’s employment. Some of these will allow you to take out the full amount in advance. You’ll just have to see what the particulars are during your enrollment season. As the amount you pay into the flex spending account is pulled from the paycheck before you ever see it, you most likely won’t even notice it.
Another such source from your work would be taking out a 401(k) or IRA to pay for the full cost. You will end up paying a penalty and that money won’t be building your retirement so you will just have to decide what is most important to you. If it’s for ptls relief, I know what I would choose.
Of course, no talk of financing would be complete without addressing using credit cards. Unlike most of what we discussed above, this one will put you into debt. You will have to decide if it is good debt or bad debt. If your physician won’t accept your credit card, you could try taking out a cash advance. Some credit cards will even give you checks you can write out just like a normal check but the amount you write it out for will be added to your credit card balance. Check and see what interest rates you will be paying for these checks or a cash advance.
Although there may be other methods available for funding for tubal reversal, the above will give you a good start on things to consider. As I don’t know your situation, I won’t know what is right for you. Only you can decide. But be careful about getting in over your head.
