IVF - The debate should it be for free?

Well after reading a post from one of my fellow followers, Chon, it sparked some thoughts in my head regarding IVF in Australia, the diversity of choice, costs and government support.

Now followers in other countries would love to hear about how you can afford IVF but in Australia, basically, we are all covered by government medicare system which we pay our contribution via our tax system and we can voluntarily have private health cover as well to enable us treatment in private hospital compared to having it done in public.

In Australia the government does contribute like approximately 2/3 of the IVF costs via medicare, for those who go private clinics, your private hospital cover pays for your clinic stay/visit for egg collection and retrieval and you are approximately out of pocket 1/3 of the costs which you then can claim a rebate in your tax return.

Its probably a snobbish remark but one thing I never compromise on is my health and coming from a hard working family where my family had nothing, 4 kids in family, we never did without but never got spoilt. I paid myself through uni, bought myself my first car etc so everything I have done in life I have done off my own back so after running a business for 5 years successfully to the detriment of my health...why wouldnt I want the best now that I deserved it I worked for it right?

There is often a debate IVF should be free ie govt pays for it all...I mean from one point of view I agree as a working taxpayer after all these years I have contributed to the tax system and its not my fault my body failed me to conceive naturally without assistance where we have the crack babies and junkies having kids left, right and centre and get all the support and pay for nothing. Its ironic that harder you work more you pay.

Then there is another point of view...if it was free would I have had the choice of doctor I wanted ie fertility specialist...how long would the waiting list be ? and after waiting so long to conceive naturally I have to wait again until I get another go at IVF? I loved the fact I had the choice of my own fertility specialist...it was probably one of the most expensive clinics in Sydney but their success rates were higher on average then others and my FS had even higher success rates then clinic on average. Most people that went to my clinic and FS had already had several attempts at cheaper clinics then had it work 1st or 2nd go at this clinic. So why should quality of service and price you pay differ to others? At my clinic you have your same FS whole way through as well as same nurses due to size and does it come down to the FS professional advice..even one of the nurses said in all her 20 years of being IVF nurse my FS was the best IVF Dr she has worked for..always puts his patients first no matter what...and I paid for that privilege

I find that hard to comprehend that you have to pay more to get better service ie rolls royce version to the ford version but if the clinic I chose was not on the expensive end...the service I received I believe would not have been the same and I may have not got the same result ..Im not saying they are not successful clinic the cheaper they are otherwise they would not exist but we live in a democratic society and I am so greatful that I have worked hard and was able to have the choice of my own FS...and why shouldnt I?

So in summary maybe our government should provide more assistance but if your clinic charges more you wear that personally because for me personally...I may have been still waiting for my BFP if IVF was free and I went on a waiting list of doctor not of my choice...

SO I think it works to a certain degree the current system in Australia but maybe more assistance after your second failed attempt as why should you have to keep paying when it did not work first or second go...