“Package” cost of ivf - unfair for people who are returning patients!

[Sunnydance]

Hello everyone,

I’m considering my 7th 😬 round of ivf/icsi to try and have a sibling for my son. I’m not 100% sure whether this will happen as my husband isn’t keen.

I had my most recent two cycles with the same clinic who do an ivf package cost or an ICSI package cost which includes all bloods and initial screenings etc.

Anyway, I contacted the clinic to ask that as I am a known patient and up to date with all screening and blood tests, also using DS which is stored and therefore husband doesn’t require any tests would it be possible to reduce the cost of the package? I guess i was chancing my luck - the response was no reduction in cost possible.

I have previously written to the HFEA about the financial implications of fertility treatment and expressed the need for financial regulation of this industry but I didn’t get very far. A friend had ivf in Australia (the cost of meds was ridiculously cheaper than in the UK) and the treatment was also cheaper. I used this as an example of unfairness.

Wondering what people’s thoughts were on these matters? I often think of those who are unable to have fertility treatment due to lack of finances.

[Ranchu90]

I totally agree with what you said on your post. Last night I looked to have some private blood tests done in UK and I also have the price list from my clinic in Spain. I was shocked to see how expensive is here comparing with the continent. Also hysteroscopy here is £2000 when in Spain is only 150 euro with local sedation on both cases. I just don't understand. Our salaries are NOT 3 times higher than the rest of Europe!?! Why we have to pay so much for exactly the same treatment, medications, biopsy etc., I just don't get it!! We put our "life on hold" and we are spending all our savings on IVF and fertility treatments at the moment. I have calculated we spent over 30k so far and still counting, we need to pay for more blood tests, hysteroscopy and one more transfer, so another 2-3k. I am wondering what was the reply from HFEA if you don't mind? Xx

[Sunnydance in reply to Ranchu90]

Hiya,

The HFEA were unable to help

- said they are not a cost regular and they only have the powers to act within the specific legislation they follow the HFE (Act) 1990.

It seems like it is a big money making industry here in the UK. No wonder so many people travel abroad for treatment, this can be positive but adds to the stress.

HFEA did mention there is a code of practice clinics must abide by, specifically:

4.9 ‘Before treatment, storage or both are offered, the centre should give the person seeking treatment or storage, and their partner (if applicable) a personalised costed treatment plan. The plan should detail the main elements of the treatment proposed (including investigations and tests), the cost of that treatment and any possible changes to the plan, including their cost implications. The centre should give patients the opportunity to discuss the plan before treatment begins’.

I think we are between a rock and a hard place at times!

All the best with your treatment.

[Sunnydance in reply to Sunnydance]

Also, that is astounding the difference in price between a hysteroscopy here and in Spain.

[Hidden]

Its just exhausting and it amazes me that they continue to find every way possible to invoice you. We have done 6 cycles, all fresh all costing between 6,500 and 7,500 due to top dose drugs etc. Before our recent cycle we had to redo all our HIV bloods etc but my local doctors wouldn't do them due to covid. Therefore our clinic did them - charged us £200 for them.. anyway my OHs came back as what they suspected was a false positive for the Hep C.. so said we had to have a retest - but that we had to pay another £150 for that!!!! Just finished our latest round and a week afterwards an invoice for £450 pops through the door for embryo glue! I mean seriously we must have paid one of their staffs salary by now, you would have thought they would give us a bit of a reduction or at least waive that second bloods fee!????

We were researching donor and it looks like that is £9,500 and thats without any drugs! its just getting more and more expensive every time I look! x

[Sunnydance in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daisy, I’ve tallied up how much we have spent over the years on failed cycles, it’s obscene! And that’s not considering the travel costs, hotel costs, acupuncture then on top of that are the emotional, social and professional costs. Clinics seem really inflexible when it comes to cost of treatments, the repeat blood test required by your husband surely should have been waived. And how nice of your clinic to send you the invoice for the embryo glue, that must’ve been really quite saddening and also a very expensive add on. I incidentally was offered embryo glue with my recent cycle for £200 - the embryologist told me not to bother as the data behind it is weak. The differences in costs of these extras is astronomical and reflect the inconsistencies in prices across the clinics in the uk - this is exactly why the industry should be regulated and scrutinised xx

[Lapinblanc88]

Private clinics charge indecent amount of money to vulnerable patients...it's actually disgustingA viability scan costs 200 at my ivf clinic whilst it's £70 2miles away... My scan lasted 5min and I could barely see anything as the screen was so tiny!

Covid test :£150 each in the summer ( twice) plus another one before embryo transfer

Beyond ridiculous

[Sunnydance in reply to Lapinblanc88]

Terrible. I do believe we are vulnerable to financial exploitation due to being so desperate to have a child(ren). It’s a minefield and a sad state of affairs.

[LifetoCherish]

Is this something that our MP’s can help with? I’m totally clueless but also disgusted how little they’re regulate the financial side of things. We should all retrain and become ivf specialists/doctors etc and give it cheaper!! 😆 x

[Sunnydance in reply to LifetoCherish]

Not sure about MPs but some kind of social media lobby might be the answer? Demanding regulation and scrutiny of this industry.

[Ivfgotadream]

I agree - I had not long paid for my final 3 cycle package out of 5 cycles - spent £35k with the same clinic and then during lockdown they released loads of massive discounts for new patients - felt a bit cheated since I’d shown my loyalty to the clinic over 18 months and given them every penny we had but they said we weren’t eligible for the “offers” because we were existing patients

[Sunnydance in reply to Ivfgotadream]

I would have felt cheated too. It’s not fair.