Capping Medicare Saftey Net for IVF/ART #2

[dreamingofalittleone]

we booked ours for October , Because frankly even if you save just a little , You are still saving and who really knows if the first attempt at ICSI is going to take . Dont get me wrong we were always going to do it , But it meant we decided to start a few months earlier . As Canberra Fertility Centre explained it seems that each procedure will have an item number and a set amount that can be claimed!

When I worked in Health insurance a few years back items numbers had set medicare scheduled fees ( this usually meant that the paitent was left out of pocket.

All though they state that specialists fees are too much and that they beleive that specialists will be forced to charge less ( this does not occur when you pay 65-120 to see a gp and get back 33.00 ) I would have preferred that they didnt have the baby bonus at all ! Or the stupid 900 stimulus that also got issued to dead people and pets , What an abs stuff up that was!!

[redlady]

The Federal Government outlined in the May 2009 Budget implications for IVF funding


The Federal Government in the May 2009 Budget outlined some important changes that will affect funding for IVF treatment. The Government announced that the Medicare Safety Net funding for IVF will change from 1 January 2010. The indication is there will be caps to a number of Medicare Benefits Schedule numbers in relation to assisted reproductive technology (ART) and the funding or rebates for IVF treatment from 1st January 2010.

IVFAustralia and in fact the entire IVF profession and patient support group ACCESS Australia is seeking clarity on the Government?s proposed changes, which could mean a fairly significant increase in the out of pocket costs for patients. The Government has not issued any specific details as yet, we only know that there will be changes from the 1st January 2010.

If you have any questions regarding the costs and how this may affect you or the potential changes to funding for IVF treatment from 2010 please talk with our team. Be reassured that if you are undergoing treatment now or before 1st January 2010 there is no change to your Medicare Safety Net rebate funding.

[onthefly]

It is very encouraging to see the opposition and others likely to block this in the senate.

We're not going back this year as we just can't fit it in - but did consider trying to squeeze a cycle in because of the threatened changes.


IVF Medical Directors said, on its figures, patients' out-of-pocket costs for a typical treatment cycle would rise almost $1700 - from $895 to $2592. (Coalition threat to block IVF changes in Senate)

[dusty]

Thanks Marcellus for sharing that. I have been sticking my head in the sand on this one lately.

I found these quotes interesting

Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton said the Government had failed to provide costings and final details of regulations - and should produce them before the legislation was voted on.

The Opposition rejects Government claims that it had already provided full details of the measures, pointing to a Government document that states that ''these items will be restructured and the caps will change, however, the overall impact on patients should remain the same''.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said the Government was ''pricing people out of becoming parents''.

I don't know what figures they are using to say the impact should remain the same. My new clinic appears to charge $4800 but in fact the hidden cost is $7500 way above the average of $6000 per clinic they are using. There is only one clinic in my town that charges close to that and their success rates etc aren't as good as the two pricier clinics. Ironic!

[airline]

Haven't had time to research but had my scan with FS and sadly no gestation sac, so we discussed next step - he thought we'd try FET but we said we wanted a 3rd stim cycle before the year finishes. He said he'd received an email from one his colleagues with confirmed reports that the senate was not going to pass it. Interestingly he said it'd come from the British press...?? We're still going with stim. cycle, can't risk it financially.

[airline]

Here's a link we found in the Australian today 4th Sep '09.

link here

hope this works!

[~BecD~]

Here's a link we found in the Australian today 4th Sep '09.

link here

hope this works!

wow - thanks for that - cant wait to find out what the compromise is

[AliB]

Looking good - rebates now proposed to increase from $1000 to $4000...

IVF medicare cataract surgery

[milly's mummy]

sorry i just realised a few others have already posted the new medicare cap link.