How Expensive Is IVF?

If you are having trouble getting pregnant, or planning on choosing the gender of your baby, you may be referred to an IVF specialist to help you fall pregnant. It is recommended that your partner goes to the consultation as well. The initial consultation charge can see you spending anywhere from $220 to $350 with a small medicare rebate if you qualify. Most times there is a bulk-billing service for the male partners first appointment.

What will the first appointment entail?

Quite often, the first appointment will see your specialist assess your medical history and will often recommend further investigations, including blood tests, ultrasounds and semen analysis. These will also have some out of pocket expenses that you need to take into consideration. Once the results are back, it will help the doctors determine what treatment is best suited for your circumstances. If you have questions or concerns, talk this over with the doctor at this time.

Before you attend the appointment, you will need to get a referral from your GP; this will help ensure that you can be eligible for the medicare rebates.
There are so many treatment options that you can try. Based on the investigations and history, the specialist will recommend a treatment plan for you, and they can include ways to help you improve your chances of conceiving naturally. Ovulation induction, cycle tracking and invasive options that are all considered in your plan of action.

If IVF is the right treatment for you, then you are looking at extra costs including:

  • Medications
  • Fertility specialist consultations
  • Nursing care and support
  • Counselling during and after post cycle
  • Ultrasounds and pathologies
  • Standard lab testing

Most often, any day surgery fees will only be covered if you have private health insurance. This includes the egg collections, embryo transfer and applies to IVF sex selection processes as well. If you have an individual health care fund, give them a call and see what they can cover for you.
Consider comparing costs between different clinics as you must see what they include in their fees and what they don’t.

Some patients may be eligible for Medicare, and most IVF clinics won’t require an upfront fee if you do. The costs usually get deducted from your account before your egg collection or the frozen embryo transfer whichever treatment you are undergoing. You will receive your rebate back within seven business days if eligible. If you don’t qualify for a medicare rebate, then the payment will need to be made on the day before commencing the treatment.

Accessing your superannuation

For many couples, it can be hard finding the funds to cover the IVF treatment. In Australia, some can assess their superannuation funds earlier for compassionate reasons like paying for medical treatment. The circumstances that allow you to access your superannuation early is limited.  The fertility clinic is not involved in deciding whether you can access your super earlier or be approved for a personal loan for the treatment. Ensure you look into how you are going to pay and be accepted first before seeking any treatment.

The IVF treatment can see you paying into the thousands, and one treatment alone can cost over $30,000. Ensure your funds are ready to go and all approved to avoid further disappointment and messing around for both you and the doctors. There is nothing worse than being told you qualify for the IVF treatment, but then the funds fall through, ending in complete frustration.