This post is in response to a letter that Lou and I received today from Access www.access.org.au in relation to the following concerns.
I urge you to support this as you never know whether yourself or someone you know may be affected.
To quickly place this in context. Our son Euan was conceived through the assistance and technical know how of Sydney IVF. We are also in the process of trying for a second child through IVF. To put the following into perspective, an IVF program costs approximately $7,500 for a first full cycle followed by approx. $2,800 there after. Medicare Safety Net means that we can afford to undertake this opportunity of creating a family.
To ensure that Australian families can continue to bring love and happiness to the family unit through IVF I strongly urge you to help send a message tothe government of Australia that those of us with fertility problems, together with our family members and friends are dismayed by the suggestion that IVF only be available to the very rich. Please email and fax a very brief letter expressing your concern today to yourmember of parliament before the budget session an therefore the last time we can demand that our politicians list to our concerns and stop any plans to make IVF more expensive. We need to act fast! Please also plass this n to your family members and friends to send a similar letter by email or fax. If you have time calling your members of parliament and the offices of other key MPs would add strength to our combined efforts. a
The address for key government contacts below is: Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister t: +61 2 6277 7700 f: +61 2 6273 4100 e: alister.jordan@pm.gov.au ankit.kumar@pm.gov.au twitter: http://twitter.com/KevinRuddPM
The Hon: Lindsay Tanner MP Minister for Finance t: +61 2 6277 7400 f: +61 2 6273 4110 e: anthony.baker@finance.gov.au
THe Hon. Nicola Roxon MP Minister for Health and Ageing t: +61 2 6277 7220 f: +61 2 6273 4146 e: ruth.kearon@health.gov.au
The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP Leader of the Opposition t: +61 2 6277 4208 f: +61 2 6277 4208 e: josh.faulks@aph.gov.au
The Hon. Peter Dutton MP Shadow Minister for Health & Ageing t: +61 2 6277 4244 f: +61 2 6277 8572
The Hon. Peter Costello MP t: +61 2 6277 4244 f: +61 2 6277 8467 e: Higgins@aph.gov.au
To find your local member of the Commonwealth Parliament and their contac details go to http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/ to search for the name of yur electorate by suburb or postcode. Once you know the name of your electorate your member’s contat details can be found by logging on to http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-elctr.asp and searching the list by electorate name. If you click on the electorae name it will bring up your local member’s name and the contact addresses.
Copy your letter by email to key media in your state and town.
Over eleven thousand IVF babies are born to Australian families each year. THe Medicare safety net has provided access to nearly 43% of Australian mums giving birth to high quality private obstetric services abd tge ability for chronically and severely ill people to seek affordable specialist care.
Your letters and those of your friends are crucial to keep IVF afforable.
Example Letter:
Your Names:
Your Address:
Date:
Dear Mr Rudd,
Recent media reports I have read suggest that the Federal GOvernment is planning to significantly reduc, or axe, the Medicare Safety Net for IVF funding.
I am dismayed to hear this. As an IVF patient (or) supporter of an IVF patient, this will mean that we/they can no longer afford to have treatment, or it may limit the number of treatments we/they can have.
I urge you to reconsider the plan to change the Medicare safety net, and ensure that people with fertility problems are not disadvantaged even further,
Sincerely,
Names
Your support is greatly appreciated.
Rob, Lou and Euan.
