lindsayloo Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hi Poms Im really hoping this post will stand out to anyone who has had IVF treatment in Australia as I really need some advice. Me and my partner have been her for 2.5years, we have a sponsored 457 visa valid for 4 years from next month (just transferred as partner starting a new job) and have recently found out that in order to conceive, our only chance is to have IVF (ICSI). We were initially advised that to do this it will cost us $12,000 and that Medicare do not cover any of this. However after speaking with a Patient Liason Advisor today at Melbourne IVF she advised that there have been quite a few couples over time in our situation and gave me some 'item numbers' to quote to Medicare so they could tally them up with the system with our details to see if we would be able to claim any cash back through Medicare. At first the lady at Medicare was adament that we wouldnt be able to but when I pushed and asked her to check the item numbers I was given by MIVF she said they were all covered....:jiggy:She actually seemed as surprised as I was! But obviously couldnt deny what was in front of her. Im hoping to hear from anyone who is also here on a temporary basis and has gone through IVF that can give us some information on your own experience? Im extreeeeeeeeeeemley happy if we do get help because let me tell you $12,000 is a massive financial burden especially with the success rates being 30-40% per cycle. Im hoping and praying that what I have been told today is correct but I cant find any information anywhere about it (I personally think they are trying to keep it under wraps and not advertising the fact which is fair enough really...) Anyway look forward to hearing from anyone soon, im not sure where is best to post this so apologies if you see it popping up all over the place! Thankyou Lindsay X :hug: PS our Medicare card is the reciprocal agreement with 'Visitor' stamped at the bottom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Wouldnt have thought so but I guess there may be loopholes. It certainly doesnt fall into the category of "medically necessary" I would have thought, which is the criteria for the reciprocal arrangement Visitors to Australia - United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Malta and Italy - Medicare Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpo1971 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hi, we are permanent residents and are currently undergoing IVF. We had to wait until PR was granted to start as we were told that the reciprocal agreement does not cover any assisted fertility treatment. I went to the Medicare shop with the codes you mentioned and asked them and they said 'No'. I know this doesn't help so sorry but just thought I would post. I hope I'm wrong or that its a WA thing. Best wishes x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 As a temporary resident of Australia, I understood that you couldnt access this type of treatment under Medicare. Permanent residents of Australia have enough problems accessing this - so why should it be available to temporary residents?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giz25 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Hi My wife and I have begun our application for a permanent resident visa (subclass 189). We have visited a fertility doctor here in Ireland and have been told we may need IVF. We wish to proceed with treatment when we arrive in Australia (Perth). When we arrive as permanant residents we can enroll in the medicare system. Does this mean that we can claim for expenses incurred or is it more complicated. Can't find much on the net so any response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Permanent residents of Australia have enough problems accessing this - so why should it be available to temporary residents?? Because they pay the same amount of tax, perhaps? You may as well ask "why shouldn't it be available?" - we're not talking about ongoing expenses for a chronic condition, after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Because they pay the same amount of tax, perhaps? You may as well ask "why shouldn't it be available?" - we're not talking about ongoing expenses for a chronic condition, after all Understand your comment but do not agree. A bit like all those Poles going into UK to have their babies and then going back to Poland and claiming the Child Benefit, or whatever it is called now. Just so wrong on so many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I don't know the answer but what if you started treatment and then your partner lost his job? I couldn't see them funding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I don't know the answer either, but as a temporary resident it just seems wrong. There are so many here that need surgery or are trying to access IVF themselves. I can fully understand why it would not be available to temporary residents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 HiMy wife and I have begun our application for a permanent resident visa (subclass 189). We have visited a fertility doctor here in Ireland and have been told we may need IVF. We wish to proceed with treatment when we arrive in Australia (Perth). When we arrive as permanant residents we can enroll in the medicare system. Does this mean that we can claim for expenses incurred or is it more complicated. Can't find much on the net so any response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Graham I am by no means an expert on visas or what migrants can and can't access. Even if you can get some support from Medicare as a permanent resident that doesn't mean it would be free as Medicare is designed as a co-payment system. The only people I know who have had IVF also had private health cover to help with the costs but there were still some things they had to pay for that Medicare and their private cover didn't pay for. I found this link which might answer some of your questions http://ivf.com.au/ivf-fees/ivf-and-medicare I suggest it would be a good idea for you to contact Medicare directly to obtain a definitive answer regarding your eligibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bromney Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 As a PR you do qualify for some rebate but is just that, partial rebate. Private IVF can cost quite a bit with the testing involved as well, with medicare coverage you're looking at around $3500 for IVF (ICSI). The best thing to do is speak to a fertility specialist and they'll be able to tell you what you can claim. Nothing is 100% free, medicare rebates a certain percentage depending on the medical procedure involved. Most private health insurance require a 12 month wait period before they allow you to claim on maternity related costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 However after speaking with a Patient Liason Advisor today at Melbourne IVF she advised that there have been quite a few couples over time in our situation and gave me some 'item numbers' to quote to Medicare. Medicare codes require almost a PHD to understand. The PLA are focused on the IVF components every day. If you are still unsure ask them to show the details (the code book is the size of 2 large phone books). While the odds are small the science of IVF has come light years, so go for it. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Les Patterson Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We were initially advised that to do this it will cost us $12,000 and that Medicare do not cover any of this. No worry....feel free to bludge on us Aussie taxpayers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Whilst the codes may be covered you may need to reiterate to Medicare that you are only on a temporary working visa (as they may have just checked the codes). As people have mentioned not all of this will be free but rather you would recieve (if entitled) a partial rebate. Recently (not pregnancy related), I had to undergo some genetic blood tests which weren't covered by medicare at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Understand your comment but do not agree. A bit like all those Poles going into UK to have their babies and then going back to Poland and claiming the Child Benefit, or whatever it is called now. Just so wrong on so many levels. No, nothing like that. These people pay full tax I understand the real "level" on which it's wrong: 457 holders aren't worthy. Don't dress it up as anything else or try and apply logic to it, we're second class "citizens", it's OK, we know it What we aren't - and what is offensive when people say or imply it - is bludgers. In terms of net contribution to Australia we give more and take less, because we pay the same tax as everyone else (in some states more as we pay for education too) and take much less out as we are not entitled to benefits or as much health cover. The PR visa holder coming over to Australia and immediately claiming Family Tax Benefit - as many people on here do - is way more of a bludger than any temporary visa holder Back to the OP, regardless of the above, I can't see it happening. I think IVF access even for citizens/PRs is pretty tough, so realistically it's fund it yourself time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 No, nothing like that. These people pay full tax I understand the real "level" on which it's wrong: 457 holders aren't worthy. Don't dress it up as anything else or try and apply logic to it, we're second class "citizens", it's OK, we know it What we aren't - and what is offensive when people say or imply it - is bludgers. In terms of net contribution to Australia we give more and take less, because we pay the same tax as everyone else (in some states more as we pay for education too) and take much less out as we are not entitled to benefits or as much health cover. The PR visa holder coming over to Australia and immediately claiming Family Tax Benefit - as many people on here do - is way more of a bludger than any temporary visa holder Back to the OP, regardless of the above, I can't see it happening. I think IVF access even for citizens/PRs is pretty tough, so realistically it's fund it yourself time The 457 holders do not pay full tax, they are not liable for tax on overseas income for a start. This is acknowledged as a concession, it is not a punishment before you start the old but you cannot offset losses line, most people do not wish to make losses on their investments. Also it is just not the point, they are temporary residents, they are not entitled to full Medicare, not entitled to vote (like PRs) and if this is not palatable then the answer is not to come. End of. That said, I do not generally thing 457 holders are bludgers and I think that the person that said it was referring to this particular situation, which I also think is bludging and pretty annoying. You are right about PR holders too, I have lost count of the number of times someone has asked if $55k is a good salary to a chorus of yes it will be fine because of all the benefits you will get to top it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I have just done a couple of minutes of googling and the costs look to be more like $8k than $12k by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 The 457 holders do not pay full tax, they are not liable for tax on overseas income for a start. ! Whilst holders of PR and citizenship are obliged to pay tax on overseas income, there are very many that don't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest isis1mcc Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 i just had to pay for my 3yo daughter to have dental treatment with no rebate from medicare, something which is free in the UK to all children under 16 at a total cost of $3400. so i certainly dont think ivf is allowed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I'm very sorry but it seems to me you should either wait until you have PR or wait until you go back to the UK to start this sort if treatment. If help is available then I reckon that's wrong. I'm sorry but there are far more pressing things for Medicare to help pay for. Get private healthcare and wait the waiting period if not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Whilst holders of PR and citizenship are obliged to pay tax on overseas income, there are very many that don't! That is a particularly dumb line of argument. The ones who do not wish to break the law do. And I would also point out that there are many PR holders and citizens who don't claim benefits, to further counter the usual cries of the poor old hard done by 457 visa holders. It would be an absolute outrage if somebody could come here for maybe a year or so and get this expensive treatment paid for by other long term tax payers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Going with medicare as a public patient I imagine the queue is very very long as its not life threatening if you could do it you would be waiting a while. Guess thats why people here opt to pay for their treatment themselves. If it was provided to temporary I imagine there would be quite an uproar as I believe I read that its on the hit list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I'd be looking at getting IVF from my country of origin before emigrating. I think it is quite expensive here, even if you do meet the criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 The 457 holders do not pay full tax, they are not liable for tax on overseas income for a start. This is acknowledged as a concession, it is not a punishment before you start the old but you cannot offset losses line, most people do not wish to make losses on their investments. Also it is just not the point, they are temporary residents, they are not entitled to full Medicare, not entitled to vote (like PRs) and if this is not palatable then the answer is not to come. End of. That said, I do not generally thing 457 holders are bludgers and I think that the person that said it was referring to this particular situation, which I also think is bludging and pretty annoying. You are right about PR holders too, I have lost count of the number of times someone has asked if $55k is a good salary to a chorus of yes it will be fine because of all the benefits you will get to top it up! Fair play and good balance as usual. I don't actually think it's reasonable for temporary residents to expect discretionary treatment like this on the public purse. It's the unthinking arrogance that many PR holders' posts in respect of temporary residents that I like to have a pop at - it's pretty clear there are lots of such people who do think they're better than us poor mites, but they can rarely articulate WHY it is that TRs deserve most of what they get, which is what their posts reek of. if you cut us, do we not bleed? If you tax us, do we not pay? Etc etc :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I should add to clarify.....if I were Aussie PM I wouldn't be seeking to extend concessions to TRs....as you say Rupert, we know the score before we come (or should, and if we don't bother to find out that's our lookout). But I would be inclined to restrict some of the generosity to PRs. Naturalized citizens, no worries; have contributed for some years and made promises in respect of commitment. Long term PRs? There's a good case there after a qualifying period too, maybe 2 or 4 years. New PRs? I don't think they should be entitled to any more or less than TRs tbh. You don't generally contribute any more. And if you need benefits to top up wages, I don't think the state should be subsidising your adventure nor your employers' parsimony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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