The American Health System aka The Insurance/Health System

It's the day after the operation and we've spent the morning being batted between my OB's office, the insurance company and the lab, where the testing on my POC (product of conception or rather my baby) will take place. It's standard procedure for them to test whether there was a chromosome defect with the foetus, but an additional test is whether it died of genetic defects; the Boy and I could find out if we're destined for X illness or have Y wrong with us.

Coming from the UK, how much medical procedures cost has never been an issue for me. I find myself now checking how much everything could potentially cost before agreeing to any kind of treatment or testing. Should any of the procedures or providers not be covered by our insurance, the testing of my dead baby will cost around $1,200. Well, this is what I've found anecdotally online, anyway.

The trouble is, the insurance people just wouldn't give us a definitive answer. It depends on whether it's medically necessary and as long as it's not a 'cosmetic' procedure, it should be covered. We just can't understand but are hopeful it's covered and have given the doctors a green light to go for full testing. I am crossing my fingers.

In other news, I spoke to reception at the OB's to make an appointment to follow-up on my surgery. I start the call with, 'I had a D&C yesterday and would like to make a follow-up appointment.' We go through dates and times and then the receptionist asks, 'So you have a baby now?' I have to ask her to repeat the question three times. Well played, Receptionist. Super tactful question.