Medicare rebate for IVF procedure
(sz) The Federal Government will pay about $4 million in annual subsidies for a procedure used in in vitro fertilisation attempts when the man has a low sperm count - a move that overturns longstanding resistance to funding the technique.
Couples will receive a $380 rebate each time they undergo the intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection - or ICSI - procedure, after an amendment was quietly added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Until now, couples have had to bear the full price - about $500.
As well, the procedure has not counted towards the Medicare Safety Net, which guarantees higher rebates after families or individuals reach a specified threshold of out-of-pocket spending. The cost is in addition to the approximately $6000 cost of an IVF cycle, about half of which is paid by Medicare.
ICSI is used in more than half of all IVF attempts and results in a successful pregnancy in about one in four cases. It involves isolating a single, healthy sperm and injecting it directly into the egg, maximising the chance of fertilisation in cases where the man produces too few or poor-quality sperm.
The procedure was conducted 12,410 times in Australia and New Zealand in 2004, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - suggesting a Medicare bill of about $4 million in Australia. more…
From: »The Brisbane Times«