Paying for a COVID test

[Cdwen]

Hi ladies

Who here is going through private treatment and has been told they have to pay for the covid swabs? We will be charged £300 total for us, which just seems insane!

Xx

[Italy300618]

Thats the same price as our clinic! It is ridiculous but it wasnt mandatory, we paid for the antibody test £90 total rather than the swab test as we were poorly earlier this year but negative. Is it mandatory you have to have the swab test before commencing? Xx

[Cdwen in reply to Italy300618]

Yes mandatory on day 9. 300 is crazy though. Haven’t bought any new clothes for yearsssss because of ivf and omg I would love to spend the money elsewhere. Xx

[User20]

Hi, I'm private too and Covid swabs are mandatory at certain stages of the cycle. Mine is about £70 per test. Guess it's just one of these things they have to enforce in order to be able to do treatments during this time.. Our clinics recommendations and requirements are constantly changing based on government guidelines

£300 seems quite expensive though

[Naddy1]

Our private clinic are charging £85 each but its only on day of egg collection.

[Cdwen]

Omg!! Why are these prices so staggeringly different?

[Nat246]

I’ve just done a whole cycle of IVF and did not need a test at any point. They just checked out temperature regularly.

The HFEA aren’t enforcing tests, it’s down to each clinic and unfortunately they are all approaching things differently

[Cdwen in reply to Nat246]

Hey! It is frustrating that everything is so different between the clinics.

[Nat246 in reply to Cdwen]

Yes very frustrating when you’ve been asked to pay so much on top of the cost you’re already paying!

BFN podcast covered clinic Covid testing is a recent podcast. Might be worth a listen for advice.

[Cdwen in reply to Nat246]

I’ll check that out. Thanks for the rec. where are you now in your cycle?!

[Nat246 in reply to Cdwen]

Cycle is finished, currently 5wks2ds pregnant.

Are you just starting your cycle?

[Cdwen in reply to Nat246]

Yaaaayyyyy. Congrats. Waiting for af now at the end of downregulation. Supposed to have baseline scan tomorrow. Will be my fifth transfer. 🤞🤞🤞

[Nat246 in reply to Cdwen]

Exciting to have a scan tomorrow, best of luck!

[Running79]

Strangely, we were told we would need Covid swabs, during treatment which was insane as they had seen us for appointments in rooms before being tested??!!!

There was no information up about charging for this, we were then slapped with an £85 bill each! Had they have said that I would have checked myself in at the governments expense

[Cdwen in reply to Running79]

Yeah! A surprise bill. Eurgh. That is what I mean, why can’t I go get a free test like everyone else?! I am going to try push on this. Money is sooooooo tight for us already.

[Running79 in reply to Cdwen]

Exactly, unfortunately I think the private clinic think you have an open ended cheque book, well mine certainly does, when they said on my first cycle I had a polyp and they can remove it for £2000!!! I thought I bet you can, my GO can refer me and I can have it removed for free 🤔 no brainier

[Peanutchips]

My clinic charges £80 per Covid swab. I only needed one, a few days ahead of FET. Did an antibody test too which wasn’t very expensive, £25 I think xx

[Cdwen in reply to Peanutchips]

More than happy to pay 80 each but 150 each blows my mind!

[Peanutchips in reply to Cdwen]

Yes that does seems really pricey. We didn’t have to both have it. My partner wasn’t allowed in for transfer with me so maybe that’s why they only tested me anyway? Xx

[Peanutchips in reply to Peanutchips]

Maybe push for just you being tested??

[Cdwen in reply to Peanutchips]

He isn’t allowed in either. I respect they are trying to protect their staff and us too but yeh, cwaaazzyyy. Esp when we had to turn other diagnostic tests because our budget is so tight.

[Peanutchips in reply to Cdwen]

Yeah it does seem crazy. Is it possible to get on NHS and show them the result? Xx

[Hidden]

That's bonkers. I didn't need to be tested unless I became symptomatic and nor did my OH.

[Cdwen in reply to Hidden]

It is bonkers, isn’t it?

[Finchee27 in reply to Hidden]

Same here. I'm in the middle of my cycle and no testing required. Just have to fill out a form each visit to say no symptoms/positive covid test & have my temp taken. The variance between clinics really surprises me!

[cmbxm]

The price differences on this thread are shocking.....it’s almost like they’re trying to make a profit out of a global pandemic....absurd xx

[London_Lady1]

We are in our 2ww after our first cycle. We had to pay £150 each for me and hubby to have covid tests before they would let us start. It was touch and go as my period was due so sucked up the costs. The crazy thing is the nurses never get tested. We pretty much shielded during our treatment as didn't want to get it and have to abandon the cycle. Such a difficult time. The rest of the costs at our clinic are really reasonable so these tests shocked me!

If you need tests for a certain date keep in mind it can take ages to get results back so make sure you have time.

Good luck!

[Laura3101]

I’ve had 2 tests so far but haven’t paid for any. I’m doing a private FET. Here’s hoping I won’t get a surprise bill! I’m a key worker so could have had them done free at any point. The difference in price is crazy!! X

[Donita33]

We are on private treatment too but no one asked us for such. I guess it’s the hospital 🏥 policy and new way to get cash 💰. Thats unfair especially when your paying a lot already for treatment. Chelsea and Westminster hospital don’t ask for that.

[Lapinblanc88]

Imagine when I saw the price for my London clinic: 3 compulsory tests for £400

I'm livid ...

[Cdwen in reply to Lapinblanc88]

😨😭 I mean, what a joke?! As if this isn’t hard enough already?’

[Ranchu90]

You can test with NHS (drive thru) or home test kit for free and you can share the results with them or they wants to be done by them?

Our clinic in Spain offered to test everyone for free before the first scan.