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Telehealth Services: Kallah Consult/Introduction to Intimacy

We are living in a very challenging time, one that has impacted every aspect of our lives and families, with much unknown still ahead. Many important services have been curtailed due to social distancing, and telehealth services have become much more common than previously. We are all adjusting to this “new normal” and are trying to proceed with our lives to the best of our abilities. This includes people adjusting their wedding plans and continuing to get married under these different circumstances.

 Many women know very little about their pelvic floors and are apprehensive about physical intimacy, especially ones who have never been able to insert a tampon. As pelvic floor physical therapists we are trained and equipped to help address these concerns. We have helped many women with pelvic floor muscle overactivity, vaginismus, and sexual dysfunction. Many have reported that they wish they would have known about these services and been educated about their pelvic floors prior to marriage.

Revitalize Physical Therapy is now offering telehealth services, “Introduction to Intimacy/Kallah Consults.” Topics that can be addressed include: introduction to anatomy, how to use dilators, and how to perform diaphragmatic breathing. In one or two sessions possibly, women can become more comfortable in any of these areas and be more prepared for their wedding and beyond.

Women interested in scheduling a session can click here. For more information, please feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at 732-595-1378. We look forward to the opportunity to help you.

 

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The Incredible, Reimbursable Egg

Someone extremely powerful must have read my recent article, Why Being a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Inspired Me to Freeze My Eggs…And to Tell You All About It (link to article), because I have an exciting update about fertility treatment. I know, I know…I’m not that vain…I definitely know this law’s not about me. My blog alone can’t take credit for the Department of Financial Services of New York State’s decision, but a girl can dream.

I am happy that many important conversations ensued, both publicly on Facebook and privately, and I am grateful to the many women who shared their personal experiences. The more we discuss and share, the more we can support each other and normalize this process. I am thrilled to report that our voices are being heard and incredible changes are underway.

As of January 1, 2020, the New York State’s budget mandates that large group insurance plans (a group consisting of more than 100 employees) cover up to three cycles of in vitro fertilization for patients with a medical diagnosis of infertility. The definition of “infertility”, according to the Department of Financial Services is “a disease or condition characterized by the incapacity to impregnate another person or to conceive, due to the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse or therapeutic donor insemination, or after six months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse or therapeutic donor insemination for a female 35 years of age or older.  Earlier evaluation and treatment may be warranted based on an individual’s medical history or physical findings.” The new phrase included this year is “therapeutic donor insemination,” which finally provides coverage to same-sex female couples and to single women, two demographics that were excluded in years past.

The new law also mandates coverage for “medically necessary” egg or sperm freezing procedures. These fertility preservation procedures are deemed “medically necessary” for patients at risk of iatrogenic infertility, or infertility resulting from an unrelated medical procedure (ex. chemotherapy, radiation, endometriosis surgery, or sexual reassignment surgery). The fertility preservation coverage under these circumstances applies to even small group and individual plans.

Insurance companies can require prior authorization, so if you are considering exploring this option, please contact your insurance company to inquire into their specific requirements.

True, certain groups won’t be covered under these laws (ex. women who elect to freeze their eggs without medical necessity and IVF treatment for individuals who do not have a large group employer). So yes, we still have more work to do. But overall, this is massive progress. The new, more inclusive laws are a giant leap for womankind. I look forward to the opportunity to share more positive updates on women’s sexual health and reproductive rights as they develop, hopefully sooner rather than later.