Women undergoing IVF to get $2000 cashback in Budget

A national first reproduction rebate announced by the NSW government would put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of women undergoing fertility treatments.

Women undergoing IVF will receive a $2000 cash ­rebate under an $80 million package of family-focused NSW Budget measures aimed at easing the cost of becoming a parent.

It is the first time any government in Australia has ­offered a rebate to women ­undergoing IVF.

Teachers, nurses and other public servants across the state will also be granted five days paid fertility treatment leave, while public IVF clinics will be upgraded and expanded across regional areas.

With birthrates plunging and more families turning to IVF, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the measures were designed to make it easier for prospective parents to fulfil their dream of having a baby.

The rebate will be open to women undergoing both IVF and other assisted reproductive treatments (ART) at private clinics from January next year.

Mum Victoria St John with her six-month-old baby Oberon, who was conceived using IVF. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Women who have undergone an eligible procedure from October 1 this year will be able to submit a claim, with 12,000 rebates to be ­issued initially.

The package of measures will also include $250 rebates to women undergoing pre-IVF fertility testing, while another 6180 women will have access to publicly supported IVF treatment.

Cancer and other patients with a medical need will also be assisted with fertility preservation, and availability will be expanded in affordable IVF clinics at Royal Prince­ ­Alfred Hospital, Westmead Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW).

The first publicly-funded, statewide fertility preservation service for younger cancer patients at the RHW, in partnership with University of NSW, will also be expanded.

Mr Kean, who will hand down the NSW Budget on June 21, said prospective parents wanting to start a family should not have to choose between managing a household budget and having a baby.

“We know that the costs of IVF treatments can be prohibitively expensive,” he said.

“No one should have to face the impossible choice between looking after their household budget and starting a family.”

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean. Picture: Tim Hunter

“I’m so proud NSW is leading the nation, helping tens of thousands of families fulfil their dream of having a baby.”

The latest figures show one in 20 births in Australia involve some form of assisted reproductive treatment, while one in six families will experience fertility issues at some point. A recent study by UNSW found that assisted reproductive technologies have become increasingly common among Australian families, with more than 81,000 treatment cycles in 2019, an increase of around 6 per cent from 2018.

At the same time, birthrates without assisted reproduced technology have declined by almost 4 per cent over the past 20 years ­nationally.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the measures would help ensure cost and availability was not a barrier for women accessing fertility treatments.

Cost-of-living measures will be a key theme of the pre-election Budget, which is also understood to have a strong focus on women and families.

Victoria St John is trying to have another baby using IVF. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Acknowledging how stressful and heartbreaking fertility challenges could be, Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said lowering the cost of treatments would help more women “on their journey to start a family”.

Rose Bay television hair and make-up artist Victoria St John turned to IVF after trying naturally for a baby for more than a year.

After five rounds with IVF Australia, she fell pregnant with the second-last embryo and is now mum to a six-month-old boy.

“It is expensive, especially with all the extras you don’t think about, such as medicine,” she said. “My grandmother had left me some money so that really helped, but if you have to do more than one round it adds up.”

According to Monash IVF, the average cycle cost for an initial IVF cycle is between $8739 and $9537.

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