oh the irony...The budget has been released and i am struggling to come to grips with what it means for us.
They have decided the payment of $5000 for having a baby can stay...but the support for those trying to have a child has been scrapped!! How unreasonable...but then, i am now part of a silent epidemic of infertility!
There is so little support for people who are suffering through this emotionally...and now the gov't is taking away the availability of treatment.
If this budget gets approved (and even if it doesn't i can not see the opposition saving IVF support) then as of January 1 2010, the rebate for IVF will be capped at approx $500. Presently, it is about $4500. So, IVF is now officially for the rich here in Australia. [edited to add....they have not scrapped it altogether...the rebate will now be about $3000...but this still doubles the existing OOP expense].
As a result, i have had to be much more proactive and can no longer just let it wait till January next year and let things happen.
I called and spoke to Helen (Dr Toledo's secretary...Dr Toledo is my fertility doc) and have booked us a pre cycle appointment for July 14th at 11.30am. With the view of doing our first IVF cycle in August this year. The plan will be...to do 2-3 egg collection cycles meaning hopefully i will get pregnant off a fresh cycle before year end. If i don't, we are hoping to have quite a few frozen embies that we could implant next year...this of course costs lots lots less mean that this would be more affordable with the new system.
I have also called and booked an appointment with Dr Bendrups (she is my Rheumatologist and the best reproductive rheum in Melbourne if not Australia) on 24th June at 1pm for a pre IVF check up and to find out what she thinks is the best treatment for me during IVF.
Dr Toledo and Dr Bendrups have already been in touch and have got a great treatment plan for me...so now i just need to go and find out what it will be.
This gives me time to finish my diet and of course get myself pregnant the good old fashioned way. Appointments can be cancelled after all but now i have a good back up plan it takes the pressure off!
I feel, that once people realise the effect this will have, IVF clinics will be run off their feet for the next 6 months and then very quiet next year.
The budget report i read said they think pricing has gone up too much cause of the government rebates, but what they are not taking into consideration is the technological breakthroughs that have happened and the costs that have been passed on. ICSI, freezing tech, collection tech have all come on in leaps and bounds. And lil things like the costs of the pippettes they use (invisible to the naked eye, made of high qual glass). All these things add up. This has been done with no consultation with doctors...
They worry about the falling population, so entice people who are fertile with money....but take away the funding for those who desperately want children...it just does not make sense!
Hanna's 11th Birthday
5 years ago
In the U.S. some of us get nothing. Our insurance does not pay a dime for infertility treatments or anything related to them. So all the ultrasounds or bloodwork that I have while on fertility drugs are not covered. We have spent $50,000 out of pocket. I agree with you though. I would like to become more proactive in changing the way it is in our state. Other states are required to cover a certain amount.
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