jocalvin1969

I am 38 yrs old and have dual citizenship in both the US & France (but born and raised in the US). My husband and I have been trying to conceive for a while with no luck so we just had a fertility work up and the doc thinks I have a borderline case of unexplained ovarian failure and recommends that I undergo some hormone shots along with artificial insemination. Only one big problem, my US health plan won't pay for this and it literally could cost thousands per month with no guarantees. I am seriously thinking of going to France for treatment and am looking for info on some french fertility clinics that I could contact. I am considering treatment in Paris, but also have family near Dijon and Strasbourg so I am flexible as to location. If anyone has info re: costs (including lodging), doctors and/or clinics it would really be appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Christina

I do some work on insurance coverage and international health so have a few tips, but this isn't really one of my areas of expertise, so I don't know a lot on costs. A lot of US health insurance doesn't cover those services, so that's not unusual.

There are a lot of fertility treatment centers in France because the public health system is generous in coverage in comparison to some other European countries (such as Germany or UK). I think that in France, social security covers four attempts of IVF (which is FIV in France, perhaps you know that). FIV and other AMP (assistance medicale a la procreation) clinics must be registered and there are about 100 in France.

If you aren't covered by the French medical system, I don't think it's that cheap, though. I've seen some figures of around 3000-4000 euro per attempt. I don't remember for artificial insemination alone (which is IAC or IIU in French).

There is a program at one hospital in Dijon (CHU or Centre Hospitalier Universitaire). Their website is www.chu-dijon.fr and maybe you could inquire (if you want) by finding some phone or email on that website in the OBG/maternite section.

There is also one at CHU de Nancy Maternite www.maternite.chu-nancy.fr
and one in Metz and several in Reims. I don't know if this is true or not, but I read that there are some good ones in Marseille.

Here is a webpage for a French website all about this subject, I believe it has a listing of most centers with their contact information (go to Les Centres at the right of the page). I assume you know French very well, I think that will be necessary.

www.fivfrance.com is one good portal

Christina

oh, there are some broad costs on that fivfrance.website -- that FIV is 3100-4100 euro, IAC or IIU (which is artif insem) is 700-1200 euro and FIV-ICSI is 3300-4500 euro

I found one place that is British but with a clinic in Scandanavia (which has good results, actually -- both Denmark and FInland) and their costs were around 1500 GBP for IVF. I really am not sure that going to Europe is going to be the answer if it's a matter of cost -- at least not in the best countries. You will def. find it cheaper in countries other than in Scandanavia, France, Germany, etc., but I wouldn't go there. Spain and Italy have much higher incidence of multiple births, for example. I wouldn't go to the Ukraine, Turkey, etc. or places like that, either. Italy probably wouldn't be cheap, anyway.

jocalvin1969

Thanks Christina, I will research those links ASAP. Since I'm not going for IVF (only AI) I think it will still be cheaper for me in France than here (the doc here quoted prices between 4 and 6K dollars each month!). The french consulate in NYC also gave me some advice and said I might be able to purchase some kind of supplemental french health insurance when I get over there, but didn't have many details. (I will have my cousin in Dijon research that for me). Thanks for the help though, it is much appreciated!!!

Christina

oh, I don't know anything about supplemental policies that might help. I realized that you first said you were considering Paris, and there are a lot of clinics in Paris, of course (many attached to hospitals).

You could inquire at the American Hospital in Neuilly, just to see what they say. I know they take BCBS, for example, and are used to Americans, of course, so should have some fees set up for those who are not covered under the French system. They do have a registered fertility clinic.

you can email [email protected] for

information on fertility services. Their general URL is
https://www.american-hospital.org/

Christina

that email address didn't link right, the fivte_ are part of it at the front end

WTnow

I do not know if you would be interested in this but I just read that there are some places in India that do infertility treatments for very cheap.

I also know that hospitals ( good ones!) in Thailand are very cheap. I have known people who took vacations there and had major surgeries there and saved a LOT of money and were VERY happy.

http://www.bumrungrad.com/#

This might be useful too if you are interested in medical tourism:

http://www.medicalnomad.com/StepByStep.jsp

http://www.medicalnomad.com/provider...view=procedure

jocalvin1969

Thanks WTnow but I'm only intersted in France as I have alot of friends and family over there and thus places to stay and familiar faces for support. Just tried to call the American Hospital of Paris, but noone there spoke english (since it was Sat am) and they couldn't understand my french (I admit it - my american accent is horrible)...I'll have to get up early and try again on Monday.

sheila

Jocalvin

If the system is the same as in Britain (which is not definite but likely), if what ails you is determined to be a medical requirement, there will be no cost at all.

However

1. I suggest you contact someone other than a Travel Board to check this out. Even a French Board is likely to be better than Fodors. I suggest you look at Total France and Living France.

2. There has a been a major stushey in France since Sarkozy won the election about health costs, so you need to check that specifically.

Christina

I did have the website of one of the main clinics doing this in India, but figured you wouldn't want to go there (I wouldn't either), even if cheap. This is a little different than just going someplace for one operation, as you may have to be there for a while.

I know that many doctors speak English at the American hospital, but a lot of the support staff do not, of course. Did you see the list and phone numbers for the doctors in the fertility clinic on that FIV page? I'd still try to email as a backup, although sometimes people don't respond to that so much. They did give an email address (I gave above), though, so it's worth a try.

Fertility treatments are not covered the same way in France as in the UK, nor in most countries. Even in the UK, they have special restrictions on them as to what they will cover, one can not get whatever they want, as much as they want. All public health systems do have to have special coverage requirements for these services for fiscal reasons. The UK has greater restrictions on them than France, actually, in terms of what they will pay for. Regardless, if you aren't covered under the French medical system, it makes a big difference, of course. I don't think that just being a French citizen entitles you to free health care in France.

jocalvin1969

Thanks for the info Sheila and Christina. I am still in the research stage of this and am posting on other sites as well, and will certainly try those sites suggested (but believe it or not this site has been the most helpful!). I did send out some emails last night Christina, but no replies yet (not surprising since it's Sat). I can tell you that I am not currently enrolled in the french social security system, but a women I spoke to at the french consulate told me there might be something supplemental I can arrange with the "CPAM" (??) with my family when I go over there - no idea what that entails though and she didn't have any details. I also did spend about 3 weeks over there in June, so maybe that will count for something...Even if I can't get treatment for free, it will still be much cheaper for me in France - especially if I need a few months of treatment. My cousin in Dijon is also inquiring about options for me over there, so I hope to have all the info I need to make my decision soon. Thanks again for your advice, I REALLY appreciate it!

Jocalvin

PS: What's a stushey exactly?

cocofromdijon

CPAM= Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie the French social security.

Good luck (my two boys were born at the CHU in Dijon)

Carlux

CPAM is your basic contact dealing with French health insurance, but you should know that recently the system has become much more difficult to get into. Many French people don't understand this, because it doesn't concern then.

So, to be covered by the Fench system now you must be working, or be retired from a European country. Period. Those of us who have been here for 5 years, or who are already in the system can stay in the Fench medical system, but no one else can. An attempt by the French to cut down medical costs.

Check http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-healt...e.asp?ID=30725

Not sure what the situation is for someone with dual citizenship who hasn't worked in France, but do be aware that it has become more difficult.

Guenmai

Why not look into Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok? It's the #1 International hospital in the world. The CEO is American and it's fully accredited. The prices are excellent. A lot of foreigners have been going there for over two decades.It looks like a mini United Nations. 60 Minutes even did a segment on it.
I've been vacationing in Bangkok,1-2 times a year for almost a decade. I saw an orthopedic doctor, for a knee problem, got medication, and received excellent care and all for the equivalent of $US 42. It took only one day to get an appointment although they do do same-day appointments. I had a 1:00 appointment and was finished at 1:00 since the doctor was early in seeing me.
I had dinner with an older American couple who flew there to have surgeries ...one was having a second surgery. Do a search on the Asia board. I'm a regular over there. I know you mentioned going to France.But I'm just offering another option. Go on you-tube and type in Bumrungrad and there's the interview with the American man who flew there for a triple-bypass heart surgery. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

jocalvin1969

Thanks for the info on CPAM. The french consulate explained that I would automatically be in the national healthcare program after 3 months of residence in France no problem, in fact they even gave me some documents to make that go through more easily(3 mos sure is feasable too since this treatment could take a while). My problem is finding some kind of coverage for those 3 months that I'm not covered. I was told that CPAM might have something supplemental that I could pay into but either way, it is still cheaper for me in France, even if I have to pay 100% out of pocket. As for Bankok, thanks but I'm not considering other countries. It would be different if this treatment would be for a short duration but as I said earlier, I have lots of family over there and places to stay which will make the extended time ALOT easier for me (and affordable). It's looking more and more like I will go to CMU in Dijon for the IUI. My cousin is talking to a doctor over there and trying to work out details for me. Thanks all...

Guenmai

Good luck to you. Happy Travels!

alanRow

Even if you are eligible for French health care, why do you think you'll be able to get IVF "because you want it"?

I'd also point out that as a citizen of an EU country both you and your husband have the AUTOMATIC right to live and work in any EU country EXCEPT France where your husband will have to satisfy French visa rules

jocalvin1969

First of all, I am not going for IVF, but IUI, which is much less costly procedure. I am also not going to France because I "want" the treatment, but because I have been diagnosed with a medical problem and this is what my doctor recommends, which by most people's standards (including the french government's) is reasonable enough (In fact, I've already verified that with the french consulate - who I have to say are VERY helpful, more so than I ever expected). Believe me, I do not WANT to get this done, it is unbelievably inconvienient, unpleasant and emotionally draining, but it is looking like the only way I will be able to conceive due to my medical issues. BTW, my husband actually IS a french citizen also as I registered our marriage with the french consulate and we have been married long enough for him to obtain his citizenship, so a visa is not needed for him thankfully

Jojonana

Is it really thousands for an IUI in the States? My God. I've had 4 done in Canada and each was about 300 $ including medication. 500 $ at the most when I had injections... Could you not try in Canada?

Here is the link of my hospital :
http://www.mcgillivf.com/e/mcgillIVF...p;page=193.272

Good luck to you. I know how hard this is.

jocalvin1969

Healthcare in the US is so ridiculously priced it's just obscene. Per my doctor, it can cost 3-4 thousand dollars each month. That includes the drugs (which alone are over $1,000/month), the labwork and ultrasounds (which I would need to do about 3x's a week prior to the IUI) the sperm "washing", the actual IUI procedure (which they aparently do twice to hedge their bets) and the followup labwork. According to my doc, it usually takes a few months of IUI before success too so I am looking at quite a hefty cost when it is all done (in addition to the $400/mo I pay in premium for my lousy health plan that won't cover this treatment). I hope things change in the US in regards to healthcare because it is getting impossible for alot of hardworking, employed people to manage financially when they need healthcare...but I'll just stop ranting about that here as that should be probably be on another post somewhere...