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Free IVF for these Aussies from today

Woman and newborn baby. Australian money notes.
The Victorian government has introduced a free IVF clinic in Melbourne today. (Source: Virtus Health/Getty)

Thousands of Victorians trying to start or grow their families will be able to access free IVF services from today.

The Royal Women’s Hospital and Monash Health are now running Australia’s first public IVF clinic in Melbourne.

Once it is fully operational, the service will be open to up to 4,000 people per year and will deliver expected savings of up to $10,000.

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“IVF can be a game changer for people who might be struggling to have a child, but too often and for too many, it’s financially out of reach,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

“Our Australian-first public fertility service will remove the cost barrier for thousands of eligible aspiring parents, and make it easier for them to start a family of their own.”

The clinic will also help people who need donor or surrogacy services, and those who need fertility preservation due to medical treatment.

The government is also rolling out services in Epping, Sunshine, Bendigo, Mildura, Warrnambool, Shepparton, Ballarat, Geelong, and Heidelberg. Services are expected to commence in early 2023 to 2024.

How will it work?

The Victorian government will cover the cost for patients to undertake up to two stimulated cycles.

This includes all the activities undertaken to grow follicles and collect eggs, which are then frozen or fertilised through IVF or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

To be eligible, you need to be a Victorian resident, hold a Medicare card and have a maximum egg age of 42 years at the time of treatment.

It will not be open to people seeking elective egg-freezing services, or those wanting to reverse sterilisation procedures.

You will also need to have a referral from a GP or specialist.

Demand is expected to be high, and eligible patients will be placed on a waitlist.

You can find out more information on the Department of Health website.

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