Women in NSW who undergo fertility treatment with an accredited private provider will be eligible for a cash rebate of up to $2,000 from 1 October, thanks to the NSW Government.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the rebate is the first of its kind in Australia and builds on earlier NSW Government initiatives that make fertility treatments more affordable.
“Around 12,000 eligible women will benefit from the new fertility treatment rebate as part of the NSW Affordable IVF Initiative from this month onwards,” Mr Kean said.
“Families navigating their fertility journey don’t need to do it alone – we are backing them with an $80 million investment over four years to increase access to affordable fertility treatments.
“This funding will mean more women won’t have to choose between looking after their household budget and starting a family.”
To be eligible for the fertility treatment rebate, women must:
- Be a resident of NSW
- Have incurred an out-of-pocket cost from an accredited private provider from 1 October 2022.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said falling pregnant for many women is stressful enough without the added challenge of finding additional funds for fertility treatment.
“The NSW Government has led the nation in its efforts to lower these costs so that families can have access to our world-leading fertility specialists,” Mr Hazzard said.
“NSW is now one of the most affordable places in the world to have fertility treatment.”
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said one in every six couples experience fertility issues.
“Fertility challenges can be absolutely heartbreaking and a huge financial burden. The NSW Government is lowering the cost of treatments, helping more women on their journey to start a family,” Mrs Taylor said.
“This new rebate builds on the NSW Government’s $42 million 2019 election commitment for affordable IVF, which is helping so many families.”
Professor Luk Rombauts, President of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), welcomed the continued investment and commitment from the NSW Government to support people on their fertility journey.
“This rebate is an opportunity to provide more equitable access to fertility treatments and builds on the existing pre-IVF testing rebate that has already helped so many people across NSW,” Professor Rombauts said.
This rebate is separate to the existing one for pre-IVF fertility testing and is not available for out-of-pocket costs for lower cost treatments in publicly supported fertility clinics in NSW.
The $80 million expansion to the NSW Affordable IVF initiative also includes:
- Extending the rebate for pre-IVF fertility testing
- Expanding statewide access to lower cost IVF treatment through publicly supported clinics
- Boosting fertility preservation services for patients with a medical need
- Providing up to five days paid fertility treatment leave for teachers, nurses and other public servants across NSW.
The rebate eligibility criteria is listed here.
The new fertility treatment rebate of up to $2,000 will open for applicants to make a claim from 1 January 2023. Women who have undergone an eligible procedure from 1 October 2022 will be able to submit a claim when the rebate scheme opens.
More information on how the NSW Government is working to improve affordability and access to IVF services in NSW is available online here.