The New South Wales government announced that women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation and other assisted reproductive treatments would be eligible to cash rebates of up to $2,000 to help reduce their hospital bills. This was part of the state government’s budget for the 2022-23 financial year.
So, what’s important about the $2,000 IVF rebate?
General Information
The rebate will start on the first day of 2023. However, you can claim it if you received any fertility treatment as described in the assisted reproductive treatment (ART) act of 2007 from 1st October 2022. These include artificial insemination, gamete intrafallopian transfer, and in-vitro fertilisation.
Eligible candidates will receive a maximum of $2,000, depending on the cost of the recommended treatment. The rebates are only available at accredited hospitals, which ensures high-quality and reliable service.
Furthermore, the scheme will only be open to 12,000 women. After the pilot, an assessment will occur to ensure private fees are competitive and affordable. If the test returns positive results, the rebate scheme will continue. During this period, the state government will lobby the Commonwealth to reduce the cost of IVF for Australian families.
Eligibility Criteria
You must be an NSW resident to qualify for the $2,000 rebate. Next, you must undergo in-vitro fertilisation or other fertility treatments in a private clinic within Australia. More importantly, you must have out-of-pocket hospital bills from 1st October onward.
You will not access this rebate if you have insurance coverage or receive treatment from a public facility offering low-cost fertility treatments.
The rebate is also unavailable to individuals who use the service to preserve fertility. You can make several claims, but the maximum never exceeds $2,000.
Special Inclusions
Besides the standard benefits, the $2,000 rebate scheme will have a few special inclusions. Individuals undergoing pre-IVF fertility testing will enjoy extended rebates, regardless of the result. Cancer patients and people with other life-threatening conditions will enjoy more fertility preservation services. Lastly, teachers, nurses, and public servants will be eligible for a 5-day paid fertility treatment leave.
Is IVF Worth It?
Like most technologies, IVF had appalling success rates at its inception. Doctors performed egg retrievals through the vagina, resulting in many losses. Today, they use laparoscopy, which gives more positive results.
Besides, advanced technologies like uterine transplants enable women with implantation issues to conceive and give birth. Nowadays, doctors can retrieve uteruses from dying donors and use them on infertile females.
The future is also promising. The most notable upcoming invention is non-invasive PGT-A, which allows doctors to screen embryos for chromosomal aneuploidy (incorrect occurrence of chromosomes) before implantation without invasive techniques. This makes the procedure affordable, more accurate, and safer.
Artificial intelligence is also useful in determining viable and infertile eggs. After women freeze their eggs, the technology asses them for viability, ensuring that the best remain while others get discarded.
Wrapping Up
Many people have the desire to be a parent but can’t have children due to genetics, sickness, or old age. Technologies like IVF give hope to such females, but most are too expensive for the average Australian. The introduction of the $2,000 rebate will help many families achieve the dream of having children.
Currently, this rebate is exclusively available to NSW residents. It’s also accessible by individuals without an out-of-pocket means to pay, such as insurance covers.
