Sask. Party's promise of 50% tax credit for IVF treatment doesn't go far enough, says advocate

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says if re-elected on Oct. 28, his party would provide a 50 per cent refundable tax credit for the cost of a first in vitro fertilization treatment. 

But one mother says a first IVF treatment should be fully covered, because it's not cheap. 

The tax credit would help cover the costs for fertility treatments and related prescription drug costs to a maximum of $20,000, which would mean a $10,000 health benefit. 

"We want the best quality of life and a bright future for everyone that lives in Saskatchewan, and that includes improving access to all aspects of women's health care," Moe said at a news conference on Oct. 7. 

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Jennifer Spitzig, a spokesperson for family advocate group IVF Support Saskatchewan, had to undergo IVF in order to have her two girls. The Martensville, Sask., mother and her husband, Trevor, had to pay thousands of dollars to do so. And Spitzig said they were lucky.  

"Most people on average probably need about three [cycles of treatment]. One of the ladies in our group is on her ninth cycle, so we were very lucky. It took one egg retrieval cycle and five transfers to get our two daughters. And that cost us $30,000," Spitzig told This is Saskatchewan podcast host Leisha Grebinski.

Moe's announcement does not appear to her to be well thought out, Spitzig said, and she wants to see a full plan.  

Meara Conway, the NDP candidate in Regina Elphinstone-Centre, attended Moe's Oct. 7 news conference, and questioned why the Saskatchewan Party was making the announcement about fertility affordability during an election campaign. 

"This is something that the Saskatchewan NDP has been calling for for years," Conway said. The NDP's campaign website says if elected, the party would fund one round of IVF treatment.

Moe acknowledged fertility affordability had been raised by the Opposition NDP on "50 different occasions in the legislature," but maintained the pledge is part of his party's commitment to expand women's health care in Saskatchewan.

Coverage in other provinces

Seven provinces currently offer varying degrees of coverage for IVF, according to Fertility Matters Canada, and an eighth — British Columbia — is set to do so starting next year. That would leave Alberta and Saskatchewan as the only provinces offering no IVF coverage.

One in six people struggle with infertility, according to the World Health Organization, and many turn to IVF to have a family — if they can afford it.

Spitzig said many will go deep into debt to have the opportunity to have a child.

"People will remortgage their house, they will get large lines of credit, put it on a credit card," or dip into retirement savings, she said.

"Some people have gone up into the six figures trying to have a baby, and that has dug into their retirement. They're going to have to work longer than they anticipated."

But even going into debt for IVF treatment isn't an option for everyone. Some people cannot get the credit to do so, or don't have family to help them. 

Spitzig said her advocacy group wishes the Saskatchewan Party would take a full look at what other provinces are offering their residents. 

"A fully funded cycle would remove the barrier of people having to front the money, so it would be more inclusive," she said.

Sara Cohen, a fertility lawyer with Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, said direct access to a funded IVF cycle works best.

"We've seen the data, and the truth is that if we want equitable access, people can't be out $20,000 of their pocket directly," Cohen said. 

"We know it often takes three cycles of IVF in order to achieve a live birth. So we've seen the actual numbers, that the provinces that provide fully funded cycles actually increase the number of cycles, whereas the provinces that only provide tax credits don't."

The credit Moe is promising wouldn't cover out of province IVF treatment.  

Spitzig said that poses another obstacle. She had her treatments in Saskatchewan, but knows other women who went to other provinces. There are many different reasons for that, she said.

"It could be the waitlist in Saskatchewan, because we only have three fertility doctors, so things get super backed up," she said. "There are more clinics and more doctors in other provinces."

Aurora Reproductive Care in Saskatoon is the only clinic in Saskatchewan where families can get infertility treatment.

Beyond the financial burden, Spitzig said IVF can be a heart-wrenching process.

"It's just so hard to describe the emotional stress that it causes . . . and the physical stress, because you're getting pumped full of hormones," she said. 

"I mean, I got jabbed with hundreds of needles through this process, some jabbing myself. Sometimes my husband has to jab me with needles. There's nothing glamorous or fun about this process."

This story is from the This is Saskatchewan podcast — your connection to the stories Saskatchewan is talking about. Every week, Leisha Grebinski and Nichole Huck will cover local issues that matter. Hear the voices that are creating change, shaping policy and fuelling creativity in Saskatchewan.

Tune in to This is Saskatchewan every Wednesday on the CBC Listen app or wherever you get your podcasts.