My brother in infertility awareness at Infertile Male commented on my post yesterday about being back, and suggested a seat in the Senate, or running against John McCain.
It is funny that he mentioned Senator McCain because I had a run in with him years ago, and he was certainly clueless about infertility.
When we had the opportunity to bring the subject of infertility and insurance coverage he simply said that the cost of coverage would be too high if infertility was covered by insurance.
The cost of the multiples born from taking added risks with IUIs or putting in more embyros with IVFs to ensure odds of a pregnancy never came up.
Which is interesting since each one of these multiples can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs just at birth, not to mention post natal care and complications later on. A lot more than it would take to succeed at the top clinics for IVF if infertility coverage were mandated.
I’d love to have my day on Capitol Hill arguing for infertility health insurance coverage.
With so may of the other hot button issues simply argued ad nauseum to death (abortion, health care, deficit), you’d think these guys would want to tackle a new topic.
If affects 1 in 4 couples of child bearing age–a pretty big potential voting block.
Seems to me that an organized group of infertility patients with a loud voice and well designed media campaign could certainly push some states one way or another, especially given how close so many races have been in recent history.
Beyond infertility though, something has to be done about the rising costs of adoption. It seems absurd that both options for infertility couples—medical treatment or adoption come at such high financial cost.
Children are not a commodity.
Having a child is a basic biological function given to us by nature, or in my belief system by God.
Why the Republican party has chosen to distance itself from signing on to legislation that would at least provide a tax credit for the equivalent of about 1 IVF for the biological lifetime of a couple is beyond me.
So thanks again to the infertile male for at least getting me one vote for a shot at Capitol Hill. And if you haven’t checked out his blog lately, you have to read his Letter To Abigail
It is a very beautifully written heartfelt vision for any aspiring father during this Christmas season.
One of the biggest frustrations foe me has been cost of adoption. I am not actively trying to plan a way to finance adoption right now because we still have not decided whether or not we will go with an agency or an attorney. Once we have selected who we will use for our adoption, then I will start to focus more on financing.
It is true that it is getting more expensive to adopt. It is sad because the human element gets lost in all of it–namely the fact that a child needs a home that can give them a better life and parents need a child to love and care for. The fact that they face obstacles to it feeds their sorrow. To me, the childless thing is akin to missing someone you really love. It is almost (but definitely not the same) the same way I might feel if my wife were to die and leave me a widower.
There are times I want to think that there might be a conspiracy to keep couples like us from being parents. The system is set up to keep people like me out of it. Essentially, I have been penalized because I work in a profession that does not pay in the six figures or close to it. Excuse me for not being interested in money beyond what is necessary to provide for my family. I can’t help that I was called into my profession. You would think somebody would want someone like me (an educator) to adopt. I think my experience with students makes me a first tier candidate for the job of parent.
The high fees of adoption and the potential judgment of birth-mothers on me for my income (never mind that fact that they ought to take great comfort in the fact that I am an educator!!) are a huge barrier and is infuriating.
Thank you for your kind words about my blog entry!