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Established in the fall of 1997, the Center for Advanced
Reproductive Medicine & Fertility has since
set the standards in high quality care and accountability
in the field of reproductive medicine. Located in the
heart of Central New Jersey, and conveniently accessible
from several major highways, this state-of-the-art practice
offers the most comprehensive approach available for
the evaluation and treatment of infertile couples, including
in vitro fertilization, ICSI, and sperm
or egg donation. In addition, the practice provides
cutting-edge technology for the treatment of endometriosis
and/or uterine fibroids, repetitive pregnancy loss,
complicated menstrual disorders, excess hair growth
in women, and a variety of other female and/or male
reproductive disorders.
The Center boasts an exceptionally qualified medical
staff under the guidance of Drs. Gregory Corsan, Suna
Qasim, and Rahul Sachdev, three highly trained, board-certified
subspecialists in Reproductive Endocrinology. Together,
Drs. Qasim, Corsan, and Sachdev bring many years of
clinical experience from both the academic and private
practice settings to the benefit of their patients.
Their many achievements and expertise in the field of
human reproduction are evidenced by the numerous acclaimed
research studies they have published. Together with
their clinical staff, they maintain the most up-to-date
knowledge in the ever-changing realm of Reproductive
Endocrinology and Infertility through constant attendance
and participation in various internationally recognized
educational conferences.
Our philosophy here at the Center is to provide the
highest level of quality patient care in a comfortable
and supportive private practice environment. One of
our major goals is also to thoroughly educate our patients
about their conditions, and our topnotch professional
staff is fully trained to continuously assist in this
endeavor. We have a variety of printed materials and
videotapes to help our patients understand all of the
different therapeutic options for them. By empowering
them as such, our patients are regularly equipped with
the information and alternatives necessary to make informed
decisions regarding their treatment. No two medical
problems or patients are alike, and treatment plans
must be individualized to every patient's needs. We
also realize that effective communication depends upon
the patient's input as well, and we are always ready
to listen. Our patients are never made to feel rushed
or ignored.
The Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine
& Fertility remains the only full service
private fertility practice in Middlesex County. Your
doctor, and not someone who is unfamiliar to you, provides
you with the type of personalized care that is not readily
available today in most large medical centers and hospitals.
The Center is open 7 days a week, including holidays
(except Christmas and New Years Day). Scheduled visits are by appointment only,
and are available Monday - Friday. Office hours which allow for evening
appointments are offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to 8pm.
The office is also open for appointments on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30am to 5pm.
Weekday blood testing and ultrasound monitoring is performed between 7AM and 9:30AM.
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are reserved
for blood testing, ultrasound monitoring, intrauterine
inseminations, egg retrievals and embryo transfers.
Patients can expect to receive initial or revisit appointments
with the doctor in a timely fashion, and those with
urgent medical or surgical conditions are seen promptly.
Finally, patients are always returned to their obstetricians
and gynecologists for follow-up management of their
pregnancies, or other gynecologic issues.
Financial Matters
The Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine &
Fertility recognizes the fact that we are in a constantly
changing climate of health insurance coverage. What
good does it do to provide the best care available if
it remains unaffordable to those who will benefit from
it the most?! We realize that some health insurers do
not cover infertility-related services, and others may
provide limited coverage for only certain diagnoses.
For these reasons, we continuously strive to maintain
our costs within the reach of all infertile couples,
while never jeopardizing our standards or quality of
care.
The physicians at the Center have had long-standing
relationships with, and have contracted with, most of
the major insurance companies, allowing many patients
access to our services. This is especially valuable
given the recent passage of the Family Building Law
in New Jersey that mandates insurance coverage for fertility
diagnosis and treatment. A list of the plans with which
we currently participate is outlined below. If we are
not "in-network" providers under a couple's
plan, generally we can still participate in their care
as "out-of-network" providers, and will work
to minimize any out-of-pocket expenses to them. To keep
patient accounts current, we accept American Express,
MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards, as well as bank
or personal checks. Finally, at all times during working
hours, our friendly and knowledgeable business staff
is available to help couples with any billing, or insurance-related
issues.
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INSURANCE PLAN PARTICIPATION Good News for infertile couples!
On August 31st, 2001, acting New Jersey Governor DiFrancesco
signed the "Family Building Act" which
mandated that insurance companies pay for expenses related
to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including
intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and
fertility drugs. This law, with some exceptions, now
allows patients to get the infertility treatment they
need, when they need it, and with minimal out-of-pocket
expenses. Unlike many reproductive endocrine practices,
we are participants in most of the managed care plans
available, thus giving patients direct and immediate
access to our top quality care.
- Aetna: All plans
- AmeriHealth
- Beechstreet
- CIGNA: All plans
- Health Choice
- HealthNet/Physicians Health Services
- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
- NJ Plus
- Direct Access
- HMO Blue
- Blue Card PPO (Blue Shield PPO of NJ and all other states)
- MasterCare
- MediChoice
- One Health Plan
- Oxford
- Private HealthCare Systems
- CoreSource
- GE Group Administrators
- Great West Life
- Guardian
- Solaris HealthCare System (under Qualcare)
- United HealthCare
We also accept assignment on all indemnity insurance plans.
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IN
VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) REFUND PLAN
Along with our long track record of setting the standards
in reproductive endocrine and fertility care, we have
now taken steps to lead the way in cost containment
as well. Because of the consistently high success rates
our Center has established, we have now introduced an
IVF Refund Plan for couples
with no insurance coverage for IVF therapy. This financial
plan will refund the majority of the fees they paid
if they do not achieve a pregnancy following IVF treatment.
The following outline summarizes the specific details
of this program.
IVF REFUND PLAN
Thank you for your interest in the IVF Refund Plan offered by The Center
for Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Fertility
(CARMF). Like you, we believe that having
a baby should be as stress-free as possible. That's
why we have introduced this plan for couples interested
in pursuing in vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy.
Now you can choose to undergo IVF without the
worry of cost versus chance for success, and without
in the least bit sacrificing high quality medical
care.
We are the first fertility clinic in New Jersey
that is directly offering such a plan. While the
new state laws mandating fertility coverage have
allowed many couples the option to now undergo
IVF, a great number of patients remain excluded
from such benefits. Our philosophy is to offer
these patients a financial alternative for funding
their IVF treatment. To this end, we have introduced
the concept of refunding a majority of the fees
paid by qualifying couples that do not achieve
a pregnancy following IVF. Because of our consistently
high success rates, we have the confidence necessary
to offer such a plan that financially assists
our patients in pursuing their dreams.
WHAT IS THE IVF REFUND PLAN?
Many couples have limited financial resources
to allocate towards building their family. IVF
is consistently the most successful therapy available,
and most couples are excellent candidates for
IVF. Nevertheless, the high and at times unpredictable
costs associated with IVF, along with the uncertain
outcome, are often major concerns. The IVF REFUND PLAN was developed to reduce
a couple's financial anxiety by: a) fixing the
cost involved in participating in an IVF-ET treatment
cycle, and even more importantly, b) limiting
the amount of money "at risk" should
the treatment fail. For a fixed fee, a patient
is given the opportunity to overcome infertility
through IVF, and if the therapy is not successful,
she will receive a 70-90% refund! If the
treatment is not successful, CARMF assumes the
bulk of the cost. This program thus preserves
financial resources for affordably undergoing
multiple IVF-ET attempts (as medically appropriate),
or for pursuing other family building options
should IVF fail.
The IVF Refund Plan provides
for a refund on all in-cycle clinical and laboratory
services associated with an IVF-ET treatment cycle
performed by a CARMF physician if a 12-week pregnancy
does not occur. The percentage of fees to be refunded
ranges from 70% to 90%, based on the age of the
woman producing the eggs (see below). The embryo
transfer (ET) procedures include all fresh and/or
frozen/thawed cycles resulting from the initial
fresh cycle. All remaining frozen embryos produced
from the fresh IVF cycle have to be exhausted
prior to a patient's eligibility for any refund.
Please be advised that this plan is designed
to offer patients some degree of financial indemnification
against treatment failure, and is not in any way
meant to be interpreted as a "guarantee"
of success. Eligible patients (see Inclusion/Exclusion
criteria below) undergoing IVF therapy are unconditionally
free to elect other financial options. In addition,
treatment recommendations for couples that participate
in this plan are not different than for those
who choose not to participate. Specifically, ovarian
stimulation protocols are not more aggressive,
and recommendations for the number of embryos
to be transferred are not influenced by plan participation.
The in-cycle services include:
- Medical services provided by a CARMF physician
in our clinic, including determination of appropriate
clinical protocols, interpretation of, and recommendations
related to in-cycle monitoring, and in-cycle
medical consultations related to the IVF treatment.
- Blood hormone and ultrasound monitoring tests.
- Egg retrieval and embryo transfer procedures.
- Services of the IVF laboratory, including
the in-vitro fertilization procedure, cryopreservation
and storage (up to 1 year) of excess embryos
(if any), and initial blood tests for the diagnosis
of pregnancy.
- All physician, laboratory, and blood hormone
and ultrasound monitoring fees related to the
subsequent thaw and transfer of any frozen embryos
resulting from the initial egg retrieval. Such
frozen/thawed cycles must be performed until
all of these frozen embryos have been exhausted,
and must be completed within a one-year period
from the date of the egg retrieval.
Fees not covered in this plan
include:
- Pre- or post-cycle lab work, testing, consultations,
or other procedures.
- The cost of any medications and/or the administration
thereof.
- Anesthesia ($500) fee for the egg retrieval.
- Fees for intracytoplasmic sperm injection*
(ICSI - $1,250), when applicable.
- Fees for assisted hatching* ($500), when applicable.
- CARMF laboratory fees pertaining to epidydimal
or testicular sperm extraction or aspiration
(MESA or TESE), when applicable.
- Obstetric ultrasounds.
- The cost of services not provided by CARMF.
- The cost associated with obtaining donor sperm,
when applicable.
- Any fees associated with complications related
to the IVF process, including, but not limited
to, treatment of hyperstimulation syndrome,
pregnancy complications, miscarriage, or ectopic
pregnancy.
- Frozen embryo storage beyond the first 12
months.
- Frozen embryo storage after delivery of a
baby. A monthly storage fee will begin at this
point.
- Any frozen embryo cycles done with remaining
embryos after the birth of a baby. These would
be billed on a fee-for-service basis.
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria:
- Female partner shall not have reached her
39th birthday at the time that she starts her
injectable fertility (not Lupron) medications.
- Clomiphene Challenge Test with both FSH values
of less than 9.0 (lab results from CARMF) within
6 months prior to signing the agreement.
- Normal uterine cavity based on a hysterosalpingogram
(HSG), hysteroscopy, or sonohysterogram within
6 months prior to signing the agreement.
- The couple has no insurance coverage or contracted
payor for any component of her IVF or frozen
embryo transfer therapy. However, if the couple has an insurance plan that covers the cost of their medications, they will still be eligible for the IVF Refund Plan.
- A consultation with one of the CARMF physicians
will be required. Routine qualifying tests and
consultations that are recommended for patients
planning IVF are not included in the IVF Refund Plan package price. The package
price is meant to apply to those couples that
have been carefully evaluated, and IVF (or ICSI)
has been recommended.
- Obese patients (BMI > 35) are excluded.
- Patients with a total of < 7 antral follicles
seen in both ovaries are excluded.
- Patients with a hydrosalpinx(ges) are not
eligible for this plan. However, they can have
the hydrosalpinx(ges) surgically removed or
occluded, and then are eligible to qualify if
all other inclusion criteria are met.
- Other inclusion and exclusion criteria may
arise, and these would be thoroughly reviewed
and discussed at the time of the appointment
| IVF-ET
Treatment Cycle Fees: |
Refund Plan
Age < 34 |
Refund Plan
Age 34-36 |
Refund Plan
Age 37-38 |
| $12,500.00 |
$12,500.00 |
$12,500.00 |
| 90% refund
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80% refund
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70% refund
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*Please note that the additional
fees collected for ICSI ($1,250) and Assisted
Hatching ($500) are also eligible for the applicable
percent refund if a 12-week pregnancy does not
result.
NOTE: These plan fees are subject
to change without prior notification. If the couple
or individual and CARMF have executed a financial
agreement, the price stated in the agreement will
be honored for the cycle, regardless of any increase
in fees occurring after the document was signed.
For
more information about the IVF Refund Plan, and to make an appointment
for consultation, please contact us at:
Telephone: (732) 339-9300 Fax: (732) 339-9400
Office address: Four Ethel Road, Suite 405A,
Edison, New Jersey 08817
Web address: www.InfertilityDocs.com
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