Introduction to Patient Fees

Fees for fertility treatment are notoriously confusing and accounts are the greatest issue in patient complaints for many fertility clinics.    The many service providers, the Medicare rebates and differing private health fund coverage all contribute to the complexity.  This section of the website contains considerable detail, however it is advisable for patients who are considering fertility treatment to be aware of the many fees and rebates that apply in order to avoid unexpected expense.

Most ART services are deemed medical services and are provided by a registered medical professional or health organisation such as a hospital or fertility clinic.  These various professional sources will charge a fee for the services they provide and that fee may be subject to a rebate through Medicare or private health insurers.  Only services provided by registered health professionals (such as doctors, dentists, psychologists) or facilities are eligible for Medicare rebates.

The fees charged represent the considerable costs associated with providing the service along with a provision for profit by the providers of the service, whether they are individuals or corporations.  The stringent accreditation process enforces standards and regulates the services offered.  Therefore the costs incurred by the providers of fertility services are fairly consistent and price differences reflect more the degree of profit each individual or organisation deems suitable, with the possibility of some efficiencies gained through economies of scale in larger fertility centres.  Competition therefore has a role in setting prices, but plays a much smaller role than in other industries such as retail.

Up to 8 different organisations or individuals may be involved in an IVF procedure and there can be more.  Each of these providers is entitled to bill you the patient for the service they provide.  Think about it as like building a house with all the people/trades involved.  Most Australians will pay a builder who then pays all the trades involved, however this is not the case for medical procedures.  It is the stated objective of government of all political parties for patients to receive one bill from a single provider who then pays all the other providers.  Progress here has been slow, however, and in most situations patients will receive accounts from 3 or more providers.  However, when patients get a quote from a provider it may not include the costs for other providers, or patients may be referred to other providers for their fees.

The most common providers in an IVF procedure are shown in the diagram below:

Please see the sections on  Service Providers, Medicare, Clinic Fees Example and Private Health Funds for further information.