Private Health Insurance?

[Lucia]

Does anyone's Private Health cover their IVF costs at all? Or any part?

I am with HBA and they told me, they don't cover it.

Someone was just telling me that theirs paid for all their treatments (so bascially no out of pocket) which confused me as IVF Melb told me only Medicare.

[briggsy's girl]

i think it depends on your health insurer - i am with Latrobe, and with the cover i have, i get three full stim cycles covered for the life of the membership. you can get cover with other insurers - i checked out iselect for available options. you'll find they all have waiting periods of at least 12 months for ART - some longer - i was just lucky that i wanted the other bits and bobs on my PHI so it was in place when we realised we needed ivf...

hope you can find a health insurer you're happy with

[Lucia]

OK - so you can!

I had no idea that IVF could be covered by private. I think I will go and have a look through iselect because I haven't been happy with HBA for awhile. I have probably left it too late for IVF if it is a 12mth wait but its worth looking into obviously!

[Hollybolly]

Lucia,

We are with Manchester Unity and joined with them because of the cover they offered with IVF.
We have been with them for 7yrs - joined 12 months before we were ready to start IVF so we knew we'd be covered.

I did a heap of research in regards to AC and what funds covered what - I found Man Unity the best by far... I check up every now and then and still haven't found one better.

Good Luck!

[Lucia]

Thanks, I must say I do like Manchester Unity - it is one I have looked at for a few things.
Goes to show you that you should research stuff doesn't it? I got told by a few people IVF wasn't covered so I believed them instead of looking for myself!

[farmgirl77]

Hi Lucia,

I'm with HBA - Hospital cover with excess bonus and basic extras. I have been a member long enough to be past waiting periods etc. On that level of cover they will cover the cost of the hospital for the OPI (both royal women's and freemasons if you are going through MIVF), the anethasist (bad spelling) and our FS (but we may have to make a co payment if the anethasist and FS charge more than what HBA consider the 'sceduled' fee.

HBA do not cover any of the out of hospital services, but some of those are considered as part of the medicare safety net which may help cost wise. When we went to see accounts, MIVF gave us an updated fee list which included what they estimate the cost to be taking into consideration the safety net. As far as I understand it, the safety net will differ from person to person, so it is prob just a estimation.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Lucia]

Thanx Farmgirl,

I am on the top cover with HBA and they told me that they didn't cover anything to do with IVF. I went thru Freemasons. I will have to go over want I claimed and what I didn't. My FS I claim on Medicare anyway so no problem there but I honestly can't remember about the hospital day prodecure! I will check but I am pretty sure everything was Medicare not HBA.

[~Kim~]

Lucia,

like Holly we're with MU and basically chose them because of the IVF stuff (just in case...) over the others for the price. They have been nothing but fantastic.