A baby is a dream come true for most married couples. However, if you have been trying for a long time and still have not gotten the great news, your doctor may suggest you to get fertility treatment.
Fertility treatment might be quite worrisome for some couples as it can be costly. The treatment can be very expensive as a treatment of IVF would probably cost you from RM 4,000 to RM 30,000.
Now, set your worries aside as Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Malaysia now offers withdrawal for fertility treatment to married couples who are trying to have a baby.
An important aspect to take note is that EPF will only assist you or your spouse. Requests from couples who are not yet married legally will not be entertained.
Requirements of Who Can Apply for EPF Withdrawals
These are the requirements set by EPF for those who want to apply for the fertility treatment withdrawals.
- Applicable for both Malaysians and non-Malaysians.
- The applicant must be below 55 years of age.
- They have savings in Account 2.
- Married couples who are legally husband and wife.
- Their medical costs are not fully covered by employers.
- The Illness/medical aid equipment is approved by the EPF.
- They are not receiving other alternative treatments.
- The fertility treatments that are allowed are Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
Categories of Withdrawals
There are two categories of withdrawals that can be done which are individual withdrawal and joint withdrawal with your spouse.
For the individual withdrawal, one can withdraw for:
- Actual medical cost
- Entire savings in Account 2 (whichever is lower)
If it is for joint withdrawal, one can also withdraw for:
- Applied amount
- Applicant’s entire savings in Account 2
- Balance treatment cost after deducting the amount withdrawn by other applicants (whichever is lower)
However, if the medical cost has been partially covered by the member’s/patient’s employer, you may only withdraw the remaining balance of the medical cost that was not covered.
How the payment is being made by EPF?
The payment is made directly to the member if the medical costs have been paid or it can also be made to the local medical institution if there are still outstanding medical costs.
You may also wonder whether you can do the fertility treatment overseas and whether EPF would still cover the cost. Well, the answer is YES.
Local payment
If you are having your treatment at a local medical institution, your payment would be transferred to your account in Ringgit Malaysia or you will be issued a Bankers Cheque.
Overseas payment
The difference that you will get if you want an overseas’ payment is only the currency. The payment will be made via Foreign Demand Draft according to the currency of your choice or it will be made via Foreign Demand Draft in US Dollars if your preferred currency is not available on their approved list.
For more information on the fertility treatment withdrawals and the documents that you may need to prepare for the application, you can visit their website.