"IVF PATS"

We have had the most disappointing and unsupported experience with PATS south west, while attempting to get travel support while going through IVF over the last 6 months. What has been drawn out to now over 18 weeks of emailing, calling, and gathering further information, PATS have decided to only cover 4 out of the 13 appointments we submitted requests for, because they seemingly don’t understand how IVF works.

Firstly, we have had to make contact with PATS at least 4 times, only to find out they were waiting on more information from us. This included them requiring information that isn’t requested on the PATS forms we are required to fill out, which doesn’t make sense to me because if that information is required, why isn’t it on the form?

Then, our claims had to get ‘escalated’ to a consultant who could make decisions about what is appropriate to be covered for us, despite that consultant not knowing a single thing about us.

Then after 15 weeks, we were asked to re-send all the documents we had previously sent so they “had them all in the same place”. After I sent through (for the second time) every document we had already sent, 2 weeks later we were contacted requesting to send them through in a particular order. I recall the quote was “It’s not my job to put them in the correct order”. If this isn’t evidence of them going out of their way to make it harder for us, I don’t know what is.

This was all so they could say that ultrasounds wouldn’t be covered because “technically” they can be completed in Bunbury, a closer location. “not all ultra sounds are eligible anyway as they are available locally” is what was sent to us. This is ridiculous and a decision made by someone who clearly has no idea that IVF scans are time sensitive and need to be completed at short notice, and you cannot book in with less than 24 hours notice.

Of the 9 claims which weren’t covered:

* 7 of the scans were either a Saturday, or a Monday immediately following the Saturday scan, and it was physically not possible to have these locally. A simple look at the calendar, in my opinion, should have been an easy decision that these scans were unable to be completed locally

* 2 of the scans we were specifically told we were required to be in person, as we were having further complications and real-time results (and accuracy) was required

This clearly shows to me that the PATS staff making these decisions have seemingly absolutely no idea about how IVF works. Obviously scans need to be completed when requested, and can’t be delayed at all. And obviously if your IVF clinic requests a scan to be completed on Monday morning, by calling you on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm, this is impossible to be completed locally. Using this as an excuse to not provide financial support because “they are available locally” is so factually incorrect.

I feel the fact that we have had to go to such extreme lengths to justify each individual claim is absolutely disgusting. It gives me the impression that PATS are deliberately making it so difficult for us that we would eventually just give up. Either that or PATS believe we are choosing to drive 2 hours each way for the fun of it, when in reality, we have no other way to complete almost every single appointment above. When we pointed out that we haven’t had these issues previously, and multiple friends of ours haven’t had issues having scans covered, we were rudely told “that would be committing fraud if you’re claiming for scans that aren’t eligible”

IVF is an extremely difficult and emotionally challenging (and at times devastating) process, and after 5 cycles, to spend 18 week of emails, follow-up phone calls, and re-sending documents which have already been sent to PATS, I find it so disappointing that PATS is as unsupportive as they have been. I believe the purpose of PATS is to ensure regional residents are supported with appointments which cannot be completed closer to home and we feel this is the opposite of what is happening, given our experiences over the last few months. It seems to us to be any excuse to get out of providing some minimal financial support.

Furthermore, I would like to express my extreme disappointment at being told by the PATS representative we are dealing with (rudely) that “Not all parts of IVF are covered anyway, as IVF is an elective procedure” (that is a word-for-word quote). That is the most insensitive, insulting comment I have heard regarding IVF. I would like to further understand PATS understanding of IVF; Is infertility ‘elective’? Is stage 4 Endometreosis ‘elective’? Are burst ovarian cysts, ambulance trips, hospital presentations, multiple surgeries, and resulting infertility, all ‘elective’. To be told by someone that IVF is ‘elective’ is by far one of the most out-of-touch, unempathetic comments I have heard, and I would like this matter escalated further to ensure these type of comments are not considered acceptable to be made to a couple already going through so much.

Overall the lack of support and constantly putting up roadblocks from PATS has been disgusting, and the implication that IVF is an elective procedure is so disappointing that in this day and age, we didn’t expect to have such poor treatment.