Ontario funds one cycle of IVF — while supplies last

Not all Ontarians who are eligible for a funded cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) will necessarily get it, and it's not clear just how the 5000 annual spots will be allocated to individual patients.

Earlier this fall, the Ontario government announced that it would start funding IVF before the end of the year, making good on a 2014 election promise. With just two weeks to go before that self-imposed deadline, however, much of the fine print has not yet been made public, including which clinics are participating, how much they will be reimbursed per procedure and whether there will be increased government oversight of the sector.

What is known is that Ontario's program will be unlike Quebec's, which was funded through the provincial health insurer (before it was scrapped in November). It will also be different from Manitoba's, which is reimbursed through a tax credit, or New Brunswick's, which offers a one-time grant of $5000. Instead, Ontario will set aside up to $70 million annually for specific reproductive services. Selected clinics across the province have applied and been contracted...