A total of $80 million will be invested over four years in a New South Wales government program for financial support of women undergoing fertility treatment.

“Families navigating their fertility journey don’t need to do it alone […] This funding will mean more women won’t have to choose between looking after their household budget and starting a family,” NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said announcing the initiative.

Under the NSW Affordable IVF Initiative, a cash rebate of up to $2,000 will be offered to women undergoing fertility treatment with an accredited private provider from 1 October.

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.

The treatment rebate will open for applicants to make a claim from 1 January 2023.

The rebate scheme builds on previous measures facilitating access to affordable fertility treatments and is separate to an existing rebate for pre-IVF fertility testing.

It is also not available for out-of-pocket costs for lower cost treatments in publicly supported fertility clinics in NSW.

Around 12,000 eligible women are expected to benefit from the initiative over a four-year period,” Mr Kean said.

Professor Luk Rombauts, President of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), welcomed the initiative.

“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.

Providing up to five days paid fertility treatment leave for teachers, nurses and other public servants across NSW, is also among the new measures funded by the $80 million expansion to the NSW Affordable IVF initiative.

For more information on the rebate scheme, eligibility criteria and other government programs on affordable IVF services visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/maternity/Pages/affordable-ivf.aspx