Medicare Funding for IVF On the Chopping Block
Posted by Amber Robinson at 3:11 PM on March 17, 2009
Rumours are swirling this week that the Federal Government is seriously considering reducing or axing the Medicare Safety Net for IVF funding. If this occurs, the out of pocket cost to couples for treatments such as IVF would significantly increase.
The Medicare Safety Net is a Howard legacy which sees rebates on medical expenses given once a person’s medical costs cross a certain threshold. It’s there to protect people who need to see a lot of specialists or undergo many expensive medical tests and treatments for their health condition.
However at a cost of $300 million a year, the Safety Net scheme is a big hole in the Federal health budget. The scheme may be wound back for high-income earners and some procedures (which is where I presume the IVF rumours are coming from) may be taken off the rebate list.
Seeing as infertility is rarely caused by lifestyle factors it makes no sense that childless couples should be singled out in this budget cut, as opposed to say low-risk couples who take the private route through their pregnancy and birth, and who will still receive a rebate on their obstetrician costs, or those with health complications caused by smoking and drinking.
Do we really want to come like America where only the wealthy or those with good health plans can afford to undergo fertility treatment? Blogger Token at fertility blog CD1 only recently posted an interesting breakdown on the differences in costs between the costs of ICSI in Australia and the U.S. If Australian couples had to pay the full $5000 Australian per cycle, I’m sure even many middle-to-high income earners would have to give up after only a few attempts.
We are looking into the rumours and will update the story with any new information soon.
Thanks for bringing this to the attention of the wider community Babble.
I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been personally impacted by infertility can truly understand how devastating it is to the couple affected.
Cutting the Medicare Safety Net rebate for IVF will mean that having a child – something that is taken for granted by most people – will be inaccessable, or cripplingly expensive to THE MAJORITY of people who access assisted reproductive services.
Something that is so intrinsic to life – family – will be unaffordable.
As a woman who’s chance of pregnancy relies solely on the miracle that is IVF, i am devastated that they would even consider removing IVF from the medicare safety net. Even before starting IVF the costs of all the doctor appointments, investigative surgery, medication, time off work and fuel (just to mention a few) add up significantly even with top health insurance. Then as a final resort we try IVF at almost $8000 a month and without the safety net, after a few failed attempts we would be left broke. My husband and I have good jobs and work hard for the money we earn, so if the medicare safety net becomes means tested, why are we being punished for the hard work (and money spent) on gaining a higher education. Our politicians need to be looking else where to make cutbacks to their budget.
Author’s note: I am not a 40+ year old woman who ’left it too late’ to become pregnant (as some pig headed people would put it) but am 25 years old and after a serious bout of appendicitis lost both fallopian tubes. My only option EVER to fall pregnant is IVF.
The Medicare systems supports people with lung cancer, obesity, drug addiction, HIV and the list goes on. IVF is not a first preference, it is a last resort for couples who are unable to conceive naturally. The strain of IVF both physical and emotional means that no person would choose to endure it more than they needed to. Who has the right to make the decision that 1, 2, 3 or 4 times is the limit which should be supported? IVF is not an exact science as there are many reasons for infertility so often multiple courses of action needed to be tested before there is success. If we means test for IVF then shouldn’t the same course of action be taken for other medical conditions? The politicians should walk a mile in the shoes of an infertile couple before making such decisions.
I cannot believe the hypocrisy of Julia Gillard. In 2005 she thought it was ‘cruel’ to reduce medicare funding for IVF. She even went to the trouble of getting people to sign a petition against cuts to assisted reproductive technologies. Why on earth aren’t the media questioning her about this? I want someone to ask her point blank – why are you breaking your promises?
Infertility is a medical condition that affects women from all socioeconomic backgrounds. These cuts to essential IVF services will mean having children will now be out of reach for many infertile couples, including myself. More hypocrisy from a government who on the one hand gives money to encourage families to have children (e.g. Baby Bonus), and yet takes away from thousands of infertile couples who are trying to have children against enormous odds. And the question remains – will infertile couples actually vote for the Labor party in the next election after this? I certainly hope not.
I have been appalled at all the cuts K.Rudd has made since becoming PM. It is invariably the disabled, women, the aged, preventive screening, HRT, and now, fertility treatment – I am infertile too, decided against continuing treatment due to personal reasons. We did not ‘choose’ infertility. Cannot remember such a hostile cruel and callous govt. ever – I am 60yo now, so have seen a few. Good luck to all of you, make a fuss and hang in there!!
Sueth xx
My wife and I paid a combined $60,000 in tax last year. When it comes down to it, having a family is a lifestyle choice. Can I have a hair transplant via Medicare? Who has the right to make a decision about IVF funding? We, the people who fund it do.
As a 26 yo woman who is currently infertile, I would like to ask Tim what his personal experience of infertility is? If you have experienced it yourself, or with a close friend, you would have a lot of compassion. Being able to have children is usually considered a basic human right. It usually costs nothing to become pregnant, but for someone such as myself, it has already cost years of grief and hurt, and a financial cost too. People who undergo AR long for a child and make excellent parents. In the future my husband & I may do IVF, and I hope at that point we can afford to have the chance to recieve the gift of a child.
How would you feel if it was your son or daughter who couldn’t afford to give you grandchildren?