What is cost $ of IVF ???

[smiles4u]

Hi all,

In the past 5yrs I have been to two different fertility specialists at two different clinics in Victoria.

On both occasions I can not for the life of me get over the counter or over the phone (and specialist doesn't like to get involved with $ costs) information as to what the cost is involved with doing IVF

... Also can you pay in instalments OR does it HAVE TO BE a lump sum up front ???

Basically what is my out of pocket cost ???

Does Medicare, etc cover anything ???

PLEASE HELP ... And if anyone can help me could you please put it in simple english (I mean that in the nicest way )!!

If I do chose to do it, it will be through the Ballarat IVF clinic (anyone have recommendations there or anyone been through there ... What did you think ??)

I would be ever so grateful for anyone's help

[Baby Bliss]

The Cost involved with IVF That thread may help!

[anney]

Hi Smiles,
I don't know if Ballarat is part of monash or melbourne IVF or if it is on its own but I have monash prices here. Usually the FS's are only affiliated with the IVF clinic so they may have no idea what the current prices are. Ring ballarat IVF and ask for the accounts department and get them to send you a copy of their pricelist.
Giving a price is not a simple thing as it varies very much with what you will need done. IVF is an all encompassing term to describe a whole lot of different procedures but Monash prices for a straight stimulated IVF cycle (ie. no need to microinject sperm into the eggs) is $4211. Of that, you will get about $1000 back from medicare. You have to pay it all up front. That covers blood tests but does not cover drugs or scans so as well as that you will need some drugs, (about $130) and some scans (about $150 each and you may need 2 or 3) and then you will need to pay your FS everytime you see him/her.
You may also need to pay the hospital for your bed for egg pickup but this will depend on whether ballarat IVF use a private or public hospital.
Most things you do get a medicale rebate for. The only thing you don't is the egg pickup as it is done in hospital. Takes about 10 weeks to get the rebate back so if you can handle the interest you can put it on your credit card and pay it off that way.
You probably will also need to "register" with Ballarat IVF which is about $130 that you can't claim from anywhere.
Hope the accounts department can send you a price list, that is the best place to start.

[farmgirl77]

Hi Smiles,
I feel your frustration - it is really hard to find out what the cost is as different clinics include different things so you cant compare them just on price - you really need to dig a bit deeper and make sure that all councilling, meds, etc are covered or if they are not, how much do they cost. Other things you will need to consider is the storage fee for embryos (about $90 every 6 months).

We are with MIVF, and they will send you out a price list if you ring them (before you are a patient), as anney said, ask for accounts as they are the people that know. Albury Reproductive Services have their price list on the web - if you do a search it should come up.

MIVF prices roughly are - new patient fee $230 (once off payment no rebate from medicare), stim IVF cycle $2150 (includes meds except pill and Lucrin, includes scans, excludes bed costs for Ovum pick ups, but that is sometimes covered by health insurance and for MIVF is approx $700 for Freemasons hosp or $300 for Royal Womens), thaw cycle $1035. You pay the fees up front at the start of the cycle(they are out of pocket expenses effectively). I do not know if you can pay in installments as they really only have the lump sum option stated, but it may be worth asking the accounts area when you call for a price list. They may have some system in place for people that will find it difficult to pay up front - I'm just not sure. The up front payments are the difference between what the clinic charges, and the medicare rebate for the different treatments (or 'items' in medicare speak). If you are eligible for the medicare safety net, then you will get a rebate back from medicare after your cycle. MIVF suggest that this then makes the Stim cycle cost go from $2150 down to $732.32 and a thaw cycle from $1035 to $207. I think that this will vary person to person though.

It is also worth asking what happens if a cycle is canceled, as I think you only get part, if any, of the out of pocket amount held over to be used for a subsequent cycle - but pls check that as I could very easily be wrong.

Good luck

[TLC10]

Hi all,

In the past 5yrs I have been to two different fertility specialists at two different clinics in Victoria.

On both occasions I can not for the life of me get over the counter or over the phone (and specialist doesn't like to get involved with $ costs) information as to what the cost is involved with doing IVF

... Also can you pay in instalments OR does it HAVE TO BE a lump sum up front ???

Basically what is my out of pocket cost ???

Does Medicare, etc cover anything ???

PLEASE HELP ... And if anyone can help me could you please put it in simple english (I mean that in the nicest way )!!

If I do chose to do it, it will be through the Ballarat IVF clinic (anyone have recommendations there or anyone been through there ... What did you think ??)

I would be ever so grateful for anyone's help

Hi there , I know it is a little frustrating wanting to know everything upfront before you start IVF . This is just a rough idea as prices do seem to change all the time.

Depending on your fertility problem mine for eg is Endometriosis. So my costs were roughly around $ 4500.00 for the whole cycle. This is all broken up though. You pay firstly your consultation fees when you see the doctor these are to be paid on the day they are around $ 150.00 then when you actually start your meds my first med was the pill so you pay for that, its not much. Then my next med was a nasal spray and you pay for that when they give it to you. The next med for me was needles to enlarge your folicles (eggs) you pay for those and then there is a booster shot called HCG then you have a scan , assuming everything is going well you have an egg pick up which is a mild surgury to remove ur eggs. you pay for that at the time once everything is done you have a transfer of embyro and you pay for that at the time. so everything is kind of broken up in price. Its not too bad and in the end when you conceive and have a beautiful baby, beleive me you dont even think about the money side of things.

We didnt have the money either so we applied for a credit card and just paid that off slowy as we went along it was much easier that way. We called it our IVF credit card and only used it for that purpose only.

With medicare we dont have private health insurance , but once you have met the medicare thresh hold which I think is about $700 you have to check that though, you then start getting 80% back of what you pay . which is great. Good luck with everything I hope that helped you and I also whent through Ballarat IVF and Had DR Russell Dalton and on occasion Dr Michael Bardsley they are both fantastic and so are all the nurses. You couldnt ask for a better place to be .
Love TLC10