Hopeful parents are to receive Medicare rebates for testing services that could help prevent them from passing serious genetic disorders onto their children.
Announcing the new additions to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said that from 1 November people would be able to claim a rebate for five new MBS items for Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT) services, provided within the existing IVF process.
“Until now, people who know they are carriers of serious genetic disorders could only access these testing services if they were able to pay privately,” Mr Hunt said.
“Types of genetic disorders able to be tested include, but are not limited to, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X, neurofibromatosis and Huntington disease,” he said.
“PGT is a sophisticated scientific technique which can be used to test embryos for either a specific known single gene condition or chromosome variation.”
Mr Hunt said this allowed chromosomally healthy embryos, or those unaffected by a specific genetic disorder, to be selected for implantation during an IVF cycle, “maximising the chance of a healthy baby”.
The Minister said the MBS additions implemented recommendations from the Medical Services Advisory Committee.
“This change will give real, practical support to individuals and couples on their fertility journey,” he said.
“It will help ease the financial strain on people using IVF to conceive.”
Mr Hunt said the rebates would support individuals or couples who carried a risk of passing on a serious genetic or chromosomal disorder to their child for which there was no cure and which caused a severe limitation on the quality of life.
