One of my goals for 2008 was to "evaluate feasibility and cost of of tube tying". This year I am on a cafeteria health plan with Aetna. Its a high deductible insurance plan and I pay a certain sum of money, pre-tax, into a fund managed by Aetna that belongs to me. I get a debit card to pay for services before I hit the deductible. Debit cards money comes out of this fund.
Under this plan, this seems to mean I get to see the cost of procedures. In network, the cost for tube tying is $3,527. Out of network, the cost is $11,565. I have no intention of going out of network. Currently, I pay roughly $20 for birth control pills per month.If I pay for another 176 months or 14 years, the cost comes out to $3,520. In 14 years I will be 41 years old. According to wikipedia (my source for reliable medical information - and my source for quick and dirty information), the average age of menopause is 51 years old. If I continue to remain on birth control instead of getting my tubes tied this would be an additional $2,400. Obviously I am not including all the other amounts such as inflation (I don’t buy the 3% rate that is bandied about), nor am I accounting for the fact that birth control could become cheaper or more expensive. And if I get breast cancer because of the correlation with birth control…getting rid of the cancer or death costs associated with me (if I die) also starts to get a bit expensive.
After the tubal ligation, I may need to stay home for awhile…which means taking sick time which I won’t be able to cash in if and when I leave my job. That is one week’s pay. Also…this is a surgical procedure. I am not interested in the newer methods of tube tying…because its too new.
Then there is the vasectomy. My husband is not on my insurance plan. But if he were…it costs $621 in network and $898 out of network. Recovery time is about 1 or 2 days.
Then there is the condom. (cue the jingle: *Trojan Man!*) There are condoms that are filled with spermacide. They work. drugstore.com lists a package of 36 condoms at $17.99. This may be the cheapest option. Depending on how many times we have sex. And I suppose the types of sex that is possible. And I think I am getting a little too detailed here for my liking.
An observation: Aetna does not list the cost of a cesarean section delivery. I wonder why.
The fine print on the spermicidal condoms indicates that they are recommended for use not more than once a day. There is a very good reason for this. Spermicide can increase your risk of cystitis (urinary tract infection) because it kills some of your good bacteria. I learned this the hard way. I had 2 or 3 UTIs in the first few months of having sex (we were using spermicidal condoms AND having quite a lot of sex). My insurance company excluded UTIs as a “pre-existing condition” which is one of the most asinine things I’ve heard an insurance company doing, since bad UTIs lead to kidney infections. One of my UTIs spread to my kidneys in less than 24 hours. So painful! Thankfully, UTIs are quickly and effectively treated with antibiotics.
Of course having sex (spermicide aside) also increasing your UTI risk, but many women (and all should) know to pee after sex. Once my insurance company didn’t cover UTIs, I kept unsweetened cranberry juice on hand and drank lots of water for times when I felt a UTI coming on.
For published research on this, check out: Fihn SD, Boyko EJ, Chen C-L, et al. Use of spermicide-coated condoms and other risk factors for urinary tract infection caused by Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:281-287.
Comment by Karina — February 10, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
You have an interesting blog! I have never seen the cost of these options considered like this. One thing I noticed you left out–and maybe you have your own reasons for not posting about it–is an IUD. There are some real advantages to one!
Comment by Classic Cook — February 11, 2008 @ 8:27 am
Thanks for your comment Karina. I got the paper you mentioned and will be reading it shortly.
I actually had the same experience as yourself, but didn’t connect it with spermicide…thought it had to do with the one romantic night in the jacuzzi. I have never gotten into a shared water body since (pools, beaches, jacuzzi tubs…) and have developed a fondness for cranberry juice. The night I showed up at the hospital is not one I want repeated ever.
Thanks for your comment Classic Cook. I love your blog as well and picked up an old crockpot cookbook (1960s) from someone’s trash about a month ago. I am trying out the recipes and its been a very fun experience.
I just forgot about IUDs and didn’t post it. I had read about them earlier and am a bit nervous about it for several reasons. Aetna doesn’t list the cost of an IUD. I will look into it again…but the idea of a string dangling around and increased painful periods is not comforting since I already have painful periods.
Comment by Beany — February 11, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
May I strongly recommend “Taking Charge Of Your Fertility” as another option?
Comment by Kim — February 11, 2008 @ 12:52 pm