If you have needed IVF, you will know that Medicare rebates are available for most fertility treatments. What many people do not know is that Medicare rebates are not available for fertility treatments associated with a surrogacy arrangement.

If you are expecting a baby through surrogacy, you may be wondering how to have your baby listed on your Medicare card.

The Medicare Benefits Schedule Notes TN1.4 stipulates that Medicare benefits are not payable for assisted reproductive services rendered in conjunction with surrogacy arrangements.

Seems pretty unfair, right? It’s even more unfair that it is applied inconsistently, in different clinics, and in different circumstances depending whether someone has a uterus or not.

On 28 September 2022, the Senate referred an inquiry into the universal access to reproductive healthcare to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 31 March 2023. While there is nothing specific in the inquiry about surrogacy, the terms of reference do include the ‘cost and accessibility of reproductive healthcare.’

The inquiry is focused on reproductive healthcare including access to abortion healthcare. The terms of reference are broad enough that submissions can also be made about access to other forms of reproductive healthcare and workplace leave (such as for infertility and pregnancy loss). Many people in the surrogacy community have experience of being unable to access fertility treatment, finding the costs prohibitive, and needing time off work for pregnancy loss and other reproductive health issues.

Many of us have made submissions to the inquiry. Submissions closed on 15 December 2022. The report will be released by 31 March 2023.

I will provide updates about the inquiry and subsequent report as they become available. I will be meeting with Senator Larissa Waters’ office in January 2023 to further emphasise the need for reform, and the impact this has on families wanting to grow their families through surrogacy.

You can find all the information about the inquiry on the committee website.

Interested in other ideas for surrogacy law reform? I have a lot to say on the subject.

If you are new to surrogacy, you can read about how to find a surrogate, or how to become a surrogate yourself. You can also download the free Surrogacy Handbook which explains the processes and options.

You can read a broad overview for surrogacy in Australia and how it works.

You can read more articles in the Blog, by listen to more episodes of the Surrogacy Podcast. You can also book in for a consult with me below, and check out the legal services I provide.