Costs

Updated 29 March 2017

Here's a list with the costs we've incurred at Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital. I don't have Korean National Health Insurance. If you do, prices would probably be cheaper for somethings. They did give me a discount for the IVIG and I'm paying what Koreans would pay for that, which is about 35% of the price.

I have Tricare, which is private insurance for military members and their dependents, unfortunately it won't cover IVIG because it's "experimental". Any time I get IVIG, Tricare refuses to cover anything at all, even the doctor's visit. They keep saying it depends how it's coded. There are no codes. On my invoice it says I am a habitual aborter but I have a NORMAL PREGNANCY.

Update: Tricare has started to pay for some things. What I have to do is put (please omit this charge) and they won't count it. I put this next to all the IVIG and ultrasound fees. However, they did reject one of the claims and told me I'm supposed to white out the charges I want omitted, yet for the others it was ok to just write (please omit this charge).

There's also some confusion because on some of the invoices the hospital is putting the real amount (without the IVIG discount) but then puts how much I'm actually paying for the amount the patient paid. This has caused Tricare to think that I have another insurance, which I don't.

My suggestion is that if Tricare denies something that they should pay for, file an appeal. I've filed as many as three appeals for some appointments and am finally getting some things reimbursed. 

March 2016

• 28 Mar: (Doctor's visit: 42,900. Blood tests: 100,800). Total: 143,700. My insurance reimbursed me for 61,609. Out of pocket was 82,091.
  
• 30 Mar: (Doctor's visit: 32,266. Injection: 4.963. HSG: 197,262. CT: 46,350. Doxcycline: 5,000). Total: 285,840. My insurance reimbursed me for 193,434. Out of pocket was 87,406.
  

April 2016

• 6 Apr: (Doctor's visit: 32,266. Ultrasound: 75,000. Prednisolone: 6,360). Total 113,596.
  My insurance reimbursed me for 107,260. Out of pocket was 6,360.
• 15 Apr: 3w2d. (Doctor's visit: 12,410. IVIG #1 of 10 volumes of 5% solution of 500 ml which is 25 gr of IVIG: 469,190. Blood tests for thyroid and HCG: 62,160). Total 543,760. My insurance reimbursed me for 119,659. Out of pocket was 424,101.
• 18 Apr: 3w5d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Blood test for HCG: 39,260). Total: 71,520. My insurance reimbursed me for 57,221. Out of pocket was 14,299.
  
• 29 Apr. 5w2d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 60,000). Total 92,260. My insurance reimbursed me for 92,260. Out of pocket was 0. 

May 2016

• 6 May: 6w2d. (Doctor's visit: 37,700. IVIG #2 of 6 volumes of 5% solution of 300 ml which is 15 gr of IVIG: 289,142. Blood test 276,338. Urine test 6,100. Ultrasound 60,000). Total 669,280. My insurance reimbursed me for 256,104. Out of pocket was 413,176.
  
• 13 May: 7w2d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 60,000). Total 92,260. My insurance reimbursed me for 73.802. Out of pocket was 18,458. 
• 26 May: 9w1d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. IVIG #3 of 6 volumes of 5% solution of 300 ml which is 15 gr of IVIG: 289,140. Ultrasound: 60,000). Total 381,400. My insurance reimbursed me for 25,808. Out of pocket was 355,592.

June 2016

• 17 June: 12w2d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. IVIG #4 of 6 volumes of 5% solution of 300 ml which is 15 gr of IVIG: 289,140. 1st sequential blood test: 146,160. 4D Ultrasound: 90,000). Total 557,570. My insurance reimbursed me for 142,732. Out of pocket was 414,768.

July 2016

• 8 July: 15w2d. Doctor's visit: 32,270. IVIG #5: 289,140. Ultrasound 60,000. Fragile X syndrome screening and Quad test 455,710). Total 837,140. My insurance paid 496,722. Out of pocket was 340,418.
• 29 July 29: 18w2d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. IVIG #6: 289,150. Ultrasound 60,000). Total 381,410. My insurance paid 33,942. Out of pocket was 347,468.

August 2016

• 17 Aug: 20w7d. (ER visit at Osan AFB total cost 0).
• 22 Aug: 21w5d. (Doctor's visit: 32,270. Intralipids: 41,510. Ultrasound 60,000). Total 133,780. My insurance reimbursed me for 32,273. Out of pocket was 101,507.

September 2016

• 6 Sept: 23w6d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 130,000). Total 162,260. My insurance reimbursed me 3162,266. Out of pocket was 0.

October 2016

• 5 Oct: 27w7d. (Doctor's visit: 32,270. Ultrasound 204,630). Total 236,900.  My insurance paid 236,900. Out of pocket was 0.
• 20 Oct: 30w1d. (Visiting the midwife. This is not part of staying pregnant, so I'm not including this in my fee breakdown.)

November 2016

• 2 Nov: 31w7d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 99,000). Total 131,260. My insurance paid 131,260. Out of pocket was 0.
• 22 Nov: 34w6d. (Midwife came to my house. This is not part of staying pregnant, so I'm not including this in my fee breakdown.)
• 23 Nov: 34w7d. (Doctor's visit: 32,266. Blood and Urine tests: 276,814. Ultrasound 100,000). Total 409,080. My insurance paid 409,080. Out of pocket was 0.

December 2016

• 7 Dec: 36w7d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 100,000. NST 63,570). Total 195,830. My insurance paid 195,830. Out of pocket was 0.
• 16 Dec: 38w2d. Midwife dropped off supplies. (This is not part of staying pregnant, so I'm not including this in my fee breakdown.)
• 21 Dec: 38w7d. (Doctor's visit: 32,260. Ultrasound 100,000. NST 63,570). Total 195,830. My insurance paid 195,830. Out of pocket was 0.
• 28 Dec: 39w7d. Baby arrived via emergency C-section, ironically on her due date. This is not a part of staying pregnant, so I'm not including this in my fee breakdown. 

Total cost including IVIG: 5,629,630. (IVIG was: 1,956,500)
Insurance reimbursed me: 2,906,382
Out of pocket total: 2,723,248